Zhob - Balochistan - Pakistan

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Country Pakistan
Province Balochistan
Capital Zhob
Established
Government
- District Nazim Moulvi Habib-ur-Rehman
- District Naib Nazim Sarwar Khan
Time zone PST (UTC+5)
District Council
Number of Tehsils 5

Zhob (Pashto: ??? ) is a district in the north west of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Zhob district is a Provincially Administered Tribal Area (PATA). Zhob district is subdivided into three subdistricts: Zhob, Kakkar and Sherani. The population of Zhob district is estimated to be over 500,000 in 2005. Zhob River is used for irrigation in the Zhob district.

Administration
There are currently four tehsils in Zhob District.
Ashwat, subtehsil
Qamar Din Karez (Qamardin karaiz)
Sambaza, subtehsil
Zhob

Population
The vast majority of the population of Zhob district is Pashtun. It is likely that over 99% of the people of the area are Muslims, with tiny numbers of Christians and Sikhs. Currently the tribes living in Zhob are given by; Sherani, Kakar, Mandokhail, Harifal, Lawon, Babarh the local tribes while other immigrants include and make a huge population comprises of Khosti, Khilji, Nasar, Kharottee, Khalsewal, and currently a large number of IDPs have been settled within the confines of the Distt. NB: pleased to draw the attention of the Webmaster towards Zhob Tehsil and new announced boundary. Ist. Zhob had not 5 tehsils, there were only 3 tehsils. 1. Tehsil Zhob 2. Tehsil Kakar 3. Tehsil sherani. while now Sherani Tehsil merged in Dist Sherani, as Distt Sherani was announce as new district 3 years ago.

Zhob, (Pashto: ???) the capital of Zhob District, is a small city in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Zhob is located on banks of Zhob River at 31°20'32"N 69°26'55"E and has an altitude of 1426 m (4681 ft). The city was originally known as Appozai named after a nearby village. During the colonial era it was named Fort Sandeman. It obtained its current name in 30 July 1976 when the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had the name changed.

Overview
Zhob means bubbling water. It refers to the karez water which pops up everywhere when there is no drought situation. Zhob town is just east of Zhob river on an open plain and lies near to Afghanistan. To the north is a ridge, about 150 ft high, on which is a castle from the time when the British colonised the area. In the winter, the weather is cold and the snow is normal. In the summer, although the temperature can get up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, there is little moisture, so it is not uncomfortable.

History
A Chinese pilgrim, Xuanzang, who visited the region in 629 AD mentioned about Afghans living in Zhob.

Until the Zhob Valley expedition of 1884 the area was practically unknown to Europeans, and in 1889 the Zhob Valley and Gomal Pass were taken under the control of the British Government. In December 1889 the town of Zhob, then known as Apozai, was occupied by the British and named Fort Sandeman after Sir Robert Sandeman.

In 1890 the district of Zhob was formed with Fort Sandeman, as the capital. The population according to the 1901 census of India was 3552, the garrison included a Native cavalry and a Native infantry regiment and was also the headquarters of the Zhob Levy Corps. In 1894 a supply of water from the Saliaza valley was established—this allowed irrigation and planting of fruits and trees as well as drinking water. It cost a little over a lakh of rupees.

During the colonial era the Political Agent resided in a building known as "the Castle" that lay to the north of the town and 150 feet above the surface of the plain. The military lines, bazar, dispensaries, and school lay below. During this time the railway system was built the nearest railway station in Baluchistan is Harnai, 168 miles. Bhakkar, the railway station for Dera Ismail Khan, is 122 miles. The population numbered 3,552 m 1901. The garrison included a Native cavalry and a Native infantry regiment, and Fort Sandeman is also the headquarters of the Zhob Levy Corps.

A Local fund was created in 1890; the income during 1903-4 was Rs. 18,000 and the expenditure Rs. 17,000. One-third of the net receipts from octroi was paid over to the military authorities. A small sanitarium, about 8,500 ft. above sea-level, exists about 30 miles away at Shinghar on the Sulaiman range, to which resort is made in the summer months.

TransportRoads
Zhob is 333 kilometers from Quetta, 225 kilometers from Dera Ismail Khan. However, the road linking with Dera Ismail Khan is for most part fair now a days track passing through water streams and almost complete road is metalloid. now adays work is on full speed on national high way from quetta to zhob,50% of work is completed. Zhob has great link with NWFP because it connects balouchistan with NWFP and so on with Punjab, first it took 12 or more than 12 hours to reach Dera ismail khan but now it is distance of almost 4 hours and on this route there is a heavy traffic of cargos and goods carring vehicles to NWFP and punjab and this route is very convenient for transportation between punjab and balochistan.this road is very important for carrying goods from province Pakhtoonkawa to the sea port of Karachi.

Railway
Zhob is the terminus of a branch railway of Pakistan Railways. In 2006 the narrow gauge of this branch was converted to broad gauge. The Zhob line junctions off the Chaman line north of Quetta at Bostan. A more direct route to the capital via Dera Ismail Khan and Darya Khan is also proposed. The new project will link Quetta with Peshawar via Bostan, Zhob, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Kohat.

Air
Zhob is linked by air with the major cities of the country. A Fokker flight operates from Quetta, linking Zhob with Multan, Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar and Islamabad. But now its under the control of US forces since US attacked Afghanistan in 2001 and still unknown when to be freed for normal transportation. (Aftab Alam Mandokhail)

Zhob Background
The district is named after the river Zhob. It is a Pashto word which means oozing water. The Zhob river has a total length of about 410 kilometres. It is the only river in the country that follows a north-eastern course. It springs from the Kan Metarzai range, passes about 4 kilometre from Zhob city and finally flows into the Gomal river near Khajuri Kach. Zhob city was previously called Fort Sandeman, named after Robert Sandeman, the first Agent to the Governor General of Balochistan. The name was changed on July 30 1976 by the Prime Minister of Pakistan of that time Z. A. Bhutto. The hand-written remarks inserted by him into the visitors' book (preserved at the Zhob Militia Mess) on the occasion say, "Today we have taken a decision to eliminate last vestige of colonialism of this historical place by changing the name instead (to) Zhob of Sandeman, the British conqueror and oppressor of Pathan and Baloch people and country." Traditionally, Fort Sandeman was called Appozai, named after a village situated two kilometres away.
The tribes inhabiting the area are indigenous to the land. Zhob is the cradle of the Afghan race. Qais Abdul Rashid, who is believed to be one of the progenitors of the Pashtoons or Afghans, lived in the Suleiman mountains near Zhob. He was born in 575 AD and died in 661 AD. Natives call the place where he is buried "Da Kase Ghar" (the mountain of Qais). The Chinese pilgrim Hiven Tsiang who visited India in 629 AD, described the Afghans as living in Zhob. The area was ruled by Nadir Shah from 1736 to 1747 and by Ahmed Shah Abdali from 1747 to 1773. It was part of the Afghan dynasty when the British penetrated it in 1881. A number of areas now in Zhob, Killa Saifullah, and Pishin districts were ceded to British Indian Balochistan after the Durand line in 1893. They soon became a district.
Zhob district is the second oldest existing district of Balochistan, after Quetta. It was raised to district level in February 1890, under Captain MacIvor as the first Political Agent.
The district has an important geo-strategic location. It links Afghanistan, South Waziristan Agency, D.I.Khan district, Killa Saifullah, Loralai, and MusaKhel.

[TrUsT Of AnGeL]

Very Nice Info
Thanks For Sharing... :good