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Quetta is the capital and largest city of the Pakistani province of Balochistan. The city developed in the Quetta Valley, a region historically inhabited by Pashtun tribes such as the Kasi, and formed part of the broader Pashtun culture and tribal sphere linking southern Afghanistan with northern Balochistan prior to its expansion under British colonial rule.It is the ninth largest city in Pakistan, with an estimated population of over 1.7 million in 2024. It is situated in the south-west of the country, lying in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. Quetta is at an average elevation of above sea level, making it Pakistan's highest-altitude major city. The city is sometimes referred to as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" because of its numerous fruit orchards and the variety of fresh and dried fruits produced in the region.
Located in northern Balochistan near the Durand line and the road across to Kandahar, Quetta is a trade and communication centre between the two countries. The city is near the Bolan Pass, which was on a major gateway from Central Asia to South Asia.
The earliest recorded historical reference to the region dates to the 11th century, when the Quetta valley was captured by Mahmud of Ghazni during his campaigns in eastern Afghanistan and the north-western Indian subcontinent.
In 1543, the Mughal emperor Humayun passed through the Quetta region while fleeing to Safavid Iran following his defeat by Sher Shah Suri.
According to the Gazetteer of the Quetta–Pishin District, the Kasi were recognised as the original owners of the Shal valley, holding agricultural land, grazing grounds, and irrigation systems ( karez) under customary tribal tenure regulated by local practice and Islamic law.
A formal sanad issued by Nasir Khan I of Kalat in the mid-18th century confirmed the proprietary rights of the Kasi chiefs ( arbabs) over the Shal valley, defining its boundaries and affirming their control over land and water resources. Certain Kasi families held hereditary and revenue-free grants, which continued to be recognised under later administrations.
By the early modern period, other Pashtun tribes—including the Achakzai, Kakar and Tareen—occupied surrounding uplands and valleys, while the Shal valley itself remained primarily under Kasi ownership and cultivation.
Large tracts of land later classified under British administration as Timur Shahi lands were originally acquired by Afghan rulers through confiscation following disputes over revenue assessments. These lands were reassessed during colonial settlement operations.
During the Second Anglo-Afghan War, British forces occupied Quetta, and in 1883 formal control was established through a lease arrangement with the Khan of Kalat. The British subsequently expanded Quetta as a cantonment and civil station, acquiring land largely through purchase for military and administrative purposes.
Colonial settlement records indicate that indigenous Pashtun tribes—particularly the Kasi and Achakzai—remained the principal proprietors of agricultural land and irrigation systems in and around Quetta. Transfers of agricultural land occurred overwhelmingly between local cultivators, while sales to non-agriculturists were legally restricted and generally confined to small urban plots.
Detailed records further note that Achakzai and Kasi families retained hereditary and, in some cases, revenue-free shares in karez lands, with tribal leaders formally recognised as head proprietors by the colonial administration.
Quetta was almost entirely destroyed by the 1935 Quetta earthquake, resulting in widespread devastation and loss of life. The city was subsequently rebuilt under British administration. Following the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Quetta became the provincial capital of Balochistan.
In 1709, the region became part of the Afghan Hotak dynasty. By 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani incorporated it into the Durrani Empire. Durrani later granted the administration and revenue of Quetta to Nasir Khan I, the Khan of Kalat, in recognition of Baloch military assistance during the Durrani campaigns in India, though the region maintained its predominantly Pashtun tribal character.
During the Second Anglo-Afghan War, the British occupied the city, formalizing their control via a lease agreement with the Khan of Kalat in 1883. Despite the influx of colonial administrators, British census records from 1901 confirm that the Kasi Pashtuns remained the principal indigenous landholders of the district.
In 1856, General John Jacob urged the British government to occupy Quetta for frontier defence purposes. During the Second Anglo-Afghan War, British forces took military control of the area, and in 1883 a formal lease arrangement was concluded with the Khan of Kalat, bringing Quetta under effective British administration.
Under British rule, Quetta was developed as a cantonment and civil station. Land required for military, railway, and administrative purposes was largely acquired through purchase from local proprietors rather than wholesale confiscation. Colonial settlement records indicate that indigenous Pashtun tribes—particularly the Kasi and Achakzai—retained ownership of most agricultural land and irrigation systems surrounding the town, while urban expansion was concentrated within the cantonment and civil areas.
The establishment of British administration marked the beginning of sustained urban growth, with new infrastructure, roads, and public buildings constructed to serve both military and civilian needs. Quetta subsequently emerged as the principal administrative centre of northern Balochistan during the late colonial period.
Following the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Quetta became the provincial capital of Balochistan, a role it continues to serve in the contemporary period.
The city saw a severe drought from 1999 to 2001 during which the city did not receive snowfall and below normal rains. In 2002, the city received snow after a gap of five years. In 2004 and 2005, the city received normal rains after three years without snowfall while in 2006, 2007 and 2009 the city received no snow. In 2008, it received a snowfall of in four hours on 29 January, followed on 2 February by in 10 hours – the city's heaviest snowfall in a decade. During the winter of 2010, it received no snow and saw below normal rains due to the presence of El-Nino over Pakistan.
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According to Reuters and the BBC, there are as many as 500,000-600,000 Hazaras living in Quetta and its surrounding areas.
| + Religious groups in Quetta City (1891–2023) ! rowspan="2" | Religious group ! colspan="2" | 1891 ! colspan="2" | 1941 ! colspan="2" | 2017 ! colspan="2" | 2023 | |||
| Hinduism | 7,180 | 24,010 | 6,112 | 5,366 | ||||
| Islam | 6,281 | 27,935 | 975,815 | 1,264,791 | ||||
| Christianity | 2,650 | 5,024 | 16,842 | 20,897 | ||||
| Sikhism | 807 | 7,364 | 123 | |||||
| Zoroastrianism | 31 | 73 | 46 | |||||
| Judaism | 16 | 11 | ||||||
| Buddhism | 0 | 42 | ||||||
| Jainism | 0 | 6 | ||||||
| Tribal | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Ahmadiyya | 363 | 127 | ||||||
| Others | 2 | 11 | 253 | 506 | ||||
At an altitude of above sea level, Quetta International Airport is the second-highest airport in Pakistan. Quetta Airport CAA Pakistan. Retrieved 24 June 2009 Pakistan International Airlines has regular flights to and from the other major cities of Pakistan including Islamabad, Gwadar, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
Quetta Railway Station is one of the highest railway stations in Pakistan at above sea level. The railway track was laid in the 1890s during the British era to link Quetta with rest of the country. The extensive network of Pakistan Railways connects Quetta to Karachi in the south, by a track, Lahore in the northeast (1,170 km or 727 miles) and Peshawar further northeast (1,587 km or 986 miles). A metalled road runs alongside the railway that connects Quetta to Karachi via the nearby town of Sibi to Jacobabad and Rohri in the plain of the River Indus.
Bugti Stadium is the home of Balochistan cricket team, a first-class cricket team which competes in domestic tournaments, and the Quetta-based team Quetta Gladiators compete in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). They were the champion of the PSL 2019.
Boxing is highly popular as well. Muhammad Waseem is a professional boxer from Quetta. In Body Building Nisar Ahmed Khilji has Mr. Balochistan and Mr. Pakistan Titles and Pakistan representation in International Body Building Contests. In hockey, Quetta has produced Zeeshan Ashraf and Shakeel Abbasi, who were members of the Pakistan's national hockey team.
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