Pishin Valley consists of thousands of acres of fruit orchards. The
artificial irrigation channels were made by boring holes into
rocks, to bring to the surface the deep water called Karez. These modern
agricultural methods have done wonders in the area. The rich harvest
of apples, grapes, plums, peaches and apricots is loaded at Yaru
Railway Station and or Quetta Airport to different destinations. I
discovered the area, and the taste of the fruit, during my stay
at the School of Infantry and Tactics, Quetta when we used to walk miles
and miles for training maneuvers.
Legend attributes the origin of the name Pishin to a son of the
Emperor Afrasiab. Until the middle of the 18th century, when Quetta
finally passed into the hands of Brahvi rulers, the history of Pishin
is identical with the province of Kandahar. The earliest mention of
Pishin is found in the ancient writing in which "Pishinorha" is
described as a valley in an elevated part of the country and
containing a barren level plain.
Little is known of the history of Pishin up to the 13th century. It
was in 1221 that Kandahar and its dependencies passed into the hands
of the Mughals. During the first half of the 15th century, Kandahar
was under the rule of the Timurs' successors and it was probably at
the beginning of this century that the Tarins emigrated from their
original homes in the Takht-i-Sulaiman and made their way into Pishin.
Between 1530 and 1545 the province of Kandahar was in the possession
of Mirza Kamran - the brother of the Emperor Humayun. After his death
in 1556, Kandahar and its dependent territories were restored to the
Safavid kings of Persia and they remained under Persia until 1595,
when they were again acquired by the Mughals. It is mentioned in
Ain-i-Akbari that Shal and Pushang (Pishin) were included in the
eastern division of the Kandhar Sarkar. In 1622, Kandahar was again
brought under the Safavid dynasty and, with the exception of a short
period, remained under Persia. The Safavid Monarch Shah Abbas gained
possession of Kandhar in 1622. He conferred the government of Pishin
and tribal adjacent areas upon Sher Khan.
The end of the 17th century witnessed the rise to prominence of the
Brahvis power. Quetta and Pishin both suffered from the
encroachment of Brahvis, and it fell into the hands of Mir Ahmed
whose reign lasted 30 years, from 1666 to 1696. Mir Wais obtained
possession of Kandhar in 1709. It is curious that this feat was
accomplished in connection with Pishin Brahvi. History relates that
around 1725 Pishin has been annexed by Mir Abdullah. However, in 1733
Shah Hussain Ghilzai made a move against the Brahavis and he
garrisoned in Pishin. Moving forward, he crossed the Ghaza Bund and
took Quetta. He advanced to Pishin where the Brahvai submitted. Quetta
remained under Kandahar and was transferred to Nadir
Shah. It is said that Ahmed Shah Durrani finally conferred it on the Brahvis after the campaign in
eastern Persia in 1751, when he received gallant aid from Nasir
Khan I. Pishin meanwhile remained under the Durrani's control. Ahmed Shah is
said to have given Pishin as a jagir with the condition of the supply
of military services to Pakar Khan. From the Durrani's Pishin passed
into the hands of Barakzai.
During the period of the first Afghan war, Quetta was annexed by the
British in 1839. After the British retired in 1842, Pishin and
Shorarud were occupied by the Afghans. The first phase of the Afghan
war closed with the signing of an agreement in May 1879 stating that
the district of Pishin, along with some other districts, was to be ceded
to the British government. It was in 1882 that final orders were given
for the permanent retention of Pishin and British authority was
extended over the valley.
When Quetta district was handed over to the British government on
April 1883, it was combined with Pishin into a single administrative
charge. Before its occupation in 1878 and its subsequent
assignment in 1879, Pishin always formed part of the province of
Kandahar. The Batezai Tarins played important part as governors.
Before the British occupation and, up to 1882, it was under an assistant
to the Governor General. From 1883 onwards, when Pishin was combined
with Quetta, together they fell under one political agent, the Deputy
Commissioner. Until 1975 Quetta Pishin remained a single administrative
unit. When Pishin was separated from Quetta it was given the status of
a district. In 1993 Pishin was split into Pishin district and
Killa Abdullah district. Now there are three districts: Quetta, Pishin
and Killa Abdullah, which before partition came under one
administrative division, known as Quetta Pishin. The district consists
of one tehsil, Pishin, and three tehsils: Huramzai, Barshore and
Karazat.
An old Balochi war ballad describes the land of Balochistan. It reads,
"Mountains are the Balochi's forts; the peaks are better than any
army; the lofty heights are our comrades; the pathless gorges our
friends; our drink is from the flowing springs; our bed the thorny
bush; and, the ground we make our pillow." But one sees a splash of
color in Pishin Valley in spring, when most of the plants are in
bloom. Nomadic tribesmen pass through the valley during spring and
autumn with their herds of sheep and camels and have their assorted wares
for sale. This seasonal movement also adds color to the life of the
town.
Apart from fruit, the quaint little market town is famous for eating.
Sitting on ground, we used to have their famous mutton dish
known as rosh, specially made in lamb fat. Curry used to be charged
whereas rotis (bread) was free. Among the delicacies "Sajji" (leg of
lamb) is the most famous, which is roasted to a delightful degree of
tenderness and is not very spicy. The people also enjoy "Landhi"
(whole lamb), which is dried in shade and kept for the winters.
Kabab shops in town are very popular.
Water is the major problem in the valley. The ground water present is most likely safe for irrigation, domestic and livestock consumption. The quality of ground water also varies from
place to place. In Karazat tehsil from Kily Qasim Bostan to Choormian,
the water is of very good quality, whereas in Pishin bazaar and its
surroundings the quality of water is poor. The water from saline
basins - Karbala, Khudaidad zai - is not suitable for drinking and
irrigation. In Pishin Valley water is supplied through different
sources: tube-wells, hand pumps, wells, karezes and springs.
Tube-wells by far have become the major source of water supply.
Children and women are still seen fetching potable water from
far off areas. If the water problem is solved, Pishin can be a rich
fruit basket of the country.
Questions?
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