2. BALOCHISTAN
 Balochistan is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. It is
the largest province by area, 44% of Pakistan's total land
mass. Smallest in terms of population.
 Balochistan is bordered by Afghanistan to the north and
north-west,
 Iran to the south-west, the Arabian Sea to the south,
Punjab and Sindh to the east.
 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal
Areas to the north-east.
 Quetta is the capital and largest city of
Balochistan

3.  A number of tribes constitute to make people of Balochistan.
Three major tribes are Baloch (Baloch & Brahvi) and Pashtoon.
 Each tribe is further sub-divided
into various branches
 The tribal chief is called Sardar while
head of sub-tribe is known as Malik, Takari or Mir. Sardars and
Maliks are members of district and other local Jirgas according
to their status.

4.  The Baloch, believed to have originally come from Arabia or Asia minor,
can be divided in to two branches: the Sulemani and Mekrani .
 Most of the people in the cities and towns understand and speak In
adddition to Balochi, Pashtoo and Brahvi, the majority of the population
understand and speak Urdu, the national language.
 In Kachhi and Sibi districts, people speak Seraiki and Sindhi
 In Quetta city people also speak Punjabi.

6.  Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province
 The boundaries of Iran and Afghanistan meet here, and the
Bolan Pass lies on important lines of communications.
 Quetta derives its name from the Balochi "Kuwatta", which
means a fort
 The earliest mention of Quetta in the history is around the
11th century when it was captured by Mahmood of Ghazni on
one of his invasions of the subcontinent.

8.  Though people speak different languages, there is a similarity in their
literature, beliefs, moral order and customs.
 Brahvi, Balochi and Pashtoon tribes are known for their hospitality.
 Better off people even slaughter sheep or goat for their guest.
Sometimes, it so happens that where there are more houses, the
guest is assumed to be the guest of the whole village.

9.  Another adorable feature of Balochistan culture is faithfulness
and sincerity in all relationships. There is no place or respect
for unfaithful people in prevalent moral order.

10.  Marriages are solemnized in presence of Mullah and
witnesses. Life partners are commonly selected within the
family or tribe.
Except a negligible fraction of love
marriages, all marriages are arranged.
 Divorce rate is very low.

11.  A lot of marriage rituals are celebrated in different tribes. In some
tribes, the takings of “Valver”, a sum of money paid by the groom to his to be
wife’s family, also exist. But this custom is now gradually dying out since it
has given rise to many social problems. The birth of a male child is taken as
a source of pride since he is though t to be the defender of this family and
tribe.

12. 
 Turban is the common headwear of the men.
Wide loose shalwar and knee-long shirts are
worn by all.

13.  The dress of the woman consists of the typical shirt having
a big pocket in front. The shirt normally has embroidery
work with embedded small round mirror pieces. Big
‘Dopatta’ or ‘Chaddar’, a long rectangular piece of cloth
cascading down the shoulders and used to cover head, are
used by the women.

14. There are religious and social festivals celebrated by the
people of Balochistan.
 Two major religious festivals are
 Eid-ul-Azha
 Eid-ul-Fiter.
 Eid-Meladun-Nabi

15.  Sibi festival that traces its roots to Mehergar, It is
attended by common folks, ministers and other
government officials. Folk music
performance, cultural dances, handicrafts
stalls, cattle shows and a number of other amusing
activities are held.

16.  Buzkashi is a peculiar festival showing
valour of Balochistan people. It is celebrated
on horse-back by two teams that use their skills
to snatch a goat from the each other.

17.  Handicraft of beautiful and intricate craftsmanship are
produces in Balochistan.
 Mirror work embroidery fine quality precious stone
and marbla work are common in Balochistan.

19.  This small but well-kept Archaeological Museum of Balochistan,
also known as Quetta Museum, is tucked away just east of
Mizan Chowk. The galleries display figurines from Mohenjo-Daro
in Sindh province, pottery pieces from sites in Balochistan, and
Stone Age implements from the Zhob, Quetta and Kalat Valleys.

20.  Quetta To Sibi,In 1878, after an earlier assault on the town in 1841,
the British captured Sibi and renamed it Sandemanabad, for Robert
Sandeman. The most imposing of the extant buildings from the British
era is the 1903 Queen Victoria Memorial Hall, now named Jirga Hall.
It is so named because it was the assembly chamber for the British
and the leading tribal notables during the annual jirga (council of tribal
elders) held during the Sibi Mela.

21.  Pilgrims come here to visit the Ziarat (shrine) of the famous
Muslim saint Mian Abdul Hakim (who is also known as
Kharwari Baba), who fled here from Kandahar in
Afghanistan. The shrine is 3km from the Quaid-i-Azam
Residence.

22.  The British weren't the only ones to appreciate Ziarat - so too did
Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Quaid-i-Azam (Great Leader). Jinnah
spent his last days here in 1948, suffering from the cancer that killed
him. The Quaid-i-Azam Residence is the former residency of the
agent to the governor general, built in 1882. The furniture is left just
as it was when Jinnah stayed here before returning to Karachi to die.

23.  The 15th-century ruins of Mir Chakar's Fort lie on the outskirts of
Sibi. There's also an old caravanserai (traditional
accommodation for camel caravans), the Sohbat
Serai, constructed by tribal chief Sadar Sohbat Khan.

24.  This beautiful rock pool is fed by a cascade and is surrounded
and enclosed by cliffs and trees. There's another pool with
calmer waters slightly downstream. Near the pool is a small
shrine to a saint. Foreigners need a special permit to come to
both the shrine and Pir Gheib - for the latest details ask at the
PTDC office in Quetta.

25.  It is in the hills overlooking Quetta, approximately 10
km from the city and very close to the Urak.
 where benches and pavilions on terraces have been
provided.
 Golden fish in the lake come swimming right up to the
edge.
 The turquoise water of lake is a stark contrast to the
brownish-green hills that surround the area.

26.  Balochi music refers to music performed by the Baloch
people in Balochistan, southern Oman, some parts
ofAfghanistan and Middle East. Baluchi music is very rich
and played with varieties of traditional instruments. Due to
their demographics and strong cultural values, the Baluch
people have been able to keep the their rich traditional
heritage alive. The art of playing double flute is traditional
to Baluch and can be seen in many parts of present-day
Baluch geography. One of the most famous Balochi artist
isRostam Mirlashari who is known as the "prince of Balochi
music"

27.  Do-Chapi
 An ancient Persian dance mostly performed by forming a circle
by a group of people, dancing and clapping. Do-Chapi almost
always includes Surna and Dohol
 Lewa
 Lewa is also a Baluchi dance of Sheedi origin, performed
mostly by a group of people in a circle with hand movements.
Lewa almost always includes a Surna and Dohol.

28. During his second year in Islamia College, a piece of coal went
into Mir Gul Khan’s eye due to which he had to discontinue his
education and return to Quetta. Lahore, at that time, was the
hub of knowledge and political and social activities. The
political, cultural, social and literary movements in Lahore made
quite an impression on Mir Gul Khan Nasir. When he returned
to Quetta Balochistan was split into several parts namely The
Chief Commissioner's Province and The Balochistani princely
states. The province of Balochistan was under direct British rule
while the Baluchistan States was indirectly controlled by the
British through the Tribal Chiefs (sardars) and rulers,whom they
had bought. Because of these conditions Mir Gul Khan Nasir
stepped into politics in order to join the other leaders who were
fighting to liberate the people of Balochistan from the
Imperialist powers.

29. 