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This land of fruits and the legendary stronghold of our western frontier, lies at the northern end of the Bolan Pass at an approximate elevation of 5.500 feet above sea level. It is one of the most important military stations of the country. Occupying a vital and strategic position on account of the fact that the boundaries of Iran and Afghanistan meet here, and the Bolan Pass lies on important lines of communications. It is connected by rail with Lahore. (727 miles) away with Peshawar (986 miles), and Karachi (536 miles).
A new road connects it with Karachi through Khuzdar. Makran and Las Bela. It is also connected with Zahidan (Duzdab), Iran, by railway.While the road and railway journey from Karachi is tedious. The journey by air on the other hand, is quite thrilling.
Under its ancient name Shal or Shawl the town was for many centuries a landmark in the history of Afghanistan and the undivided Northern India. Mr. Masson, the first European ever to visit the place (in 1828), noticed that small town consisting of three hundred mudhouses was located round the Miri, surrounded by a mud wall.
The inhabitants are mainly Pathans, Baluchis and Brahuis. The 'Powindahs'. nomadic tribesmen. Come during winter with their herds of sheep and camels and their assorted wares for sale. They go back in spring. This seasonal movement adds colour to the life of the city.
The rugged terrain has made the people of the area hardy and resilient. Strong and silent in their bearing . They are known for their friendliness and hospitality. To make a visitor comfortable is part of their tradition. Dr Bellow found Quetta in a state of decay in 1872. Miri at that time was occupied by a small garrison of the Khan of Kalat's troops. In 1877 the Miri was converted into an arsenal on account of the murder of Lieutenant Hewson and the wounding of Lieutenant Kunhardt and Caption Scott, and the town was shifted to its present local.
This beautiful mountain- locked township on the plains surrounded by three mountain ranges, the Murder on the east is actually located on the slopes of the Murdar, while the Cantonment covering almost three-fourths of the areas of 200 square miles spreads between the remaining spurs. Habib Nullah separates the town from the much more beautiful and green than the town.
Quetta, before the great earthquake of 31 May 1935, was a bright and bustling city, having multi-storeyed building. It was razed to the ground in the small hours of the ground in fateful day, when about 40,000 souls perished within the twinkling of an eye.
After the great calamity that overtook Quetta, horses are generally single storeyed and quake proof. These houses are built with bricks and reinforced concrete. The structure of generally of lighter material. Incidentally the bricks of Quetta have a yellowish tinge unlike the red variety of Sindh and the Punjab.
The city is well planned, as almost all the roads and streets run parallel to one another , or, at right angles. All tall ash trees on either side provide shade and add charm to the place.On both sides of the road lie the famous Residency the Circuit Houses the Divisional Offices, the Post Offices and Grammar School. The lawns and gardens of the Residency and the Circuit House are shings to remember. It is indeed a pleasure to be in Quetta during summer and stroll in the evening along Zarghoon Road. As one is uplifted and by the sight of the graceful poplars and refreshed by the Jasmine scented breeze, one inhales very life itself. Happy are those who live in Quetta from May to August.
The Quetta Valley is a thing of beauty and a joy. Mr. Barnes, the first "Political Agent" or Administrator of Quetta has described Quetta in memorable words that are worth quoting:
"Quetta and Pishin have beauties of their own which vary with each season of the year. In the spring, after rains the whole countryside, even on the stony slopes of the hills, is tinged with green, and everywhere the ground is studded with wild flowers. Red and yellow tulips, similar to those found in the fields of Florence, nestle in the depressions of the lower hills; wild hyacinth and irises of various hues abound among the rocks and stones: the ground in many places is scarlet with the small red poppy, and all around the air is fragrant with faint aromatic tour of the fresh southern wood which covers the uncultivated plains''.
"Summer is less gorgeous; but, till the harvest is cut in June, the country around Quetta itself is a sheet of waving corn-fields. July, August and September are dusty and depressing, but early in October frost appears at night the dust clears out of the sky, and the perpetual sunshine, the dry' keen invigorating air, the clear atmosphere and glorious rose-coloured tints of the hills at sunset and sunrise are a content joy to a lover of the beautiful".
"In winter, the scene again changes and though the country is arid and drab-coloured, and the leaves are off the trees, still few places are more beautiful than Quetta on a bright, still, frosty morning, when all the lofty peaks round the valley are capped with glistening snow".
The approximate population of the town acing to the Census Report of 1981 is 2,43000 made up of many elements. The original inhabitants are the Pathans (Tarins Tor Tarins. Achakzais and Ghilzais), the Sayides, the Baluchis and the Brohis, whose combined strength, it is said, does not exceed 15,000. Mention must also be made of the Hazaras, speak Afghan - Persian, while the remaining indigenous residents speak Pushto, Baluchi and Brohi. Nearly half of the population is made up of those hailing originally from the Punjab (Pakistan) and the East Punjab (now in India). There are also persons from the Hazara District of Peshawar Division; they are cattle farmers and suppliers of milk, butter and cream. There are also quite a lot of displaced persons, from various parts of India, who are well settled and rehabilitated.
"The Quetta-Pishin-Zhob valleys are literally covered with fruit orchards and are lovely to visit in spring which is the season of blossoms". Mastung, Nushki, Loralai, Gulistan and Quetta itself grow best varieties of apples. pomegranates, peaches, pears, cherries. almonds, walnuts, pistachios, chilghoza, muskmelons (sarda and garma), water melons and grapes
In Quetta itself there are innumerable fruit orchards, let alone Urak, which in known as the fruit-garden of Quetta. The vast compounds of residential houses are practically studded with fruit trees, and the humblest house must grow grapes and apricots, if nothing else. Every inch of Quetta is wealth.
Fruit begins to appear in the market in early May. Cherries are the first to come. These sweet scented berries, particularly of Khairpur House, are delicate and Loralai fruit enters the market first, Then Quetta apricots appear on the scene. The Urak variety although coming late is the sweetest and largest.
Grapes and peaches come next. The important varieties of grapes are the kishmish (seedless), black munaqqa and Saebi is extremely delicate, delicious and fragrant, albeit costly. It is pink in colour and is usually consumed locally, because it is difficult to export. It cannot stand the rigours of a journey.
The peaches of Quetta are worth enjoying, particularly the variety known as "sanfroza" They are big and luscious. The apples of Urak, Mastung and Loralai are the best, being soft, big and juicy.
Quetta exports fruit to the whole of Pakistan. Fruit is the mainstay of the economy: it is the cash crop of Quetta. Now fruit-processing industry has also begun, with more water, Quetta should easily supply fruit to the entire IndoPakistan subcontinent. However, mangoes plantains, figs and citrus fruits are imported.
Quetta is a veritable huge botanical garden of the country. Besides the fruit trees, Poplar, Pine, Cypress, Safeda, Willow (Bed-e-majnun), Ashwood, and Juniper are found in super-abundance. Ephiderene, used for asthma is manufactured out of ephedra, of which the are large forests.
Quetta is famous for its roses and rose-water. Roses grow in various varieties, sizes and hues. The yellow, the black, the pink, the purple and the multi-coloured ones are the best. No doubt, roses do grow everywhere else in the city but the like of those reared in the lush green lawn of the Circuit House on the Lytton Road are not to be found anywhere else. Here each rose-bush looks like one huge rose.
The narcissus, the tulips the lilies, the honey-suckle the broom jasmine, the California poppy and Geranium are some of the seasonal flowers of the Quetta rose-creeperes, particularly of white variety together with broom jasmine suffuse the air with sweet scents. The broom jasmine looks exactly like a huge green broom. In May it is laden with yellow with its sweet fragrance. Geraniums of Quetta are large and attractive.One peculiar feature of Quetta is that every plant spreads out in dimensions and gains good height.
Souvenirs are embroidered quilts, cushion covers, shawls and Marri jackets sewn with hundreds of fingernail size mirrors. Woven tapestry rugs or "Ghilims" (GHILIMS) are attractive. Carpets bearing the "elephant foot" design of the Frontier are sought after.
Many carpets and prayer mats are woven by young Hazara girls in the Small Industries Centre in Shahra Alamdar. Hazarans claim descendant from Chengiz Khan and work mainly as artisans, shoesmiths and clothes traders.
A frontier town, Quetta has no entertainment. On weekday afternoons and Friday the better off play squash at the old Quetta Club and the poor follow quail and partridge fights. Fighting partridges can be bought from 25 to 500 rupees in Kisai Street. Quetta. A plucky bird may survive several contests, but most fights end in mortal injury for one or both the partridges.