Quetta

Quetta is the largest city and the capital of the Baluchistan province of Pakistan. It is known as the “Fruit Garden of Pakistan” due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife. Indeed, the city is also home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the world, and to a research institute, the Geological Survey of Pakistan.

The area was originally inhabited by the Kasi, a Pashtun tribe, followed later by the Moghals. In 1543, the Moghal emperor Humayun rested in Quetta on his retreat to Persia, leaving his one-year-old son Akbar in the city until his return two years later. The Khan of Kallat ruled Quetta until 1556, when the Persians conquered the city, only to have it retaken by Akbar in 1595. British occupation came next.

A must-see location in Quetta is the Hanna Lake, a startling turquoise pool contrasting markedly with its bare brown surroundings. It nestles in the hills ten kilometers east of the city and is a very popular attraction, with facilities for boat hire and a lakeside restaurant available.

As mentioned earlier, the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park in the south-west of Quetta is not to be missed neither. The park, which name “Hazarganji” literally means “Of a thousand treasures”, is spread over 32,500 acres, at an altitude ranging from 2,021 to 3,264 meters. In the folds of the mountains, according to legend, there are over a thousand treasures buried, reminders of the passage over the ages of great armies including the Bactrians, the Scythians, the Muslims and the Moghals.

Some other good places to discover are Pir Ghaib, a waterfall and picnic point; Kharkhasa and the Chiltan Hill Viewpoint which provides a panoramic view over the city, the army administered Askari Park, the Quetta Geological Museum which has a nice collection of rocks and fossils found in Baluchistan, the Command and Staff College Museum which is dedicated to British military history,  the Quetta Archaeological Museum and the Baluchistan Arts Council Library, a newly opened facility which houses a variety of arts and crafts from Baluchistan province.

Among the other attractions of Quetta are the Kandahari Bazaar, the Liaquat Bazaar and the Suraj Gang Bazaar, where one can find colorful handicrafts, particularly Balochi mirror work and pashtun embroidery, both of which are admired on a world scale. The Pashtun workers are expert in making fine Afghan rugs, with their pleasing and intricate designs, fur coats, embroidered jackets, waist-coats, sandals and other traditional Pashtun items. Those bazaars are also full of authentic Balochi carpets, which are made by the nomadic tribes of the area.

Local cuisine is very rich in tastes as well, with specialities such as “Landhi”, “Khadi Kebab”, “Sajji” or “Pulao”, which are all lamb-based. In fact, some of the finest mutton of the country is raised around Quetta, that’s the reason why it is extensively used in the local cuisine. Do try some of those dishes in one of the many restaurants of the city, for example the Green Hotel, Gulab Hotel, Lal Kabab, Tabaq, Usmania or the Abasin Hotel, which enjoy very good reputation.

Sitting near the border with Afghanistan, Quetta is today an important trade and communications centre between the two countries, as well as a major military location occupying a vital strategic position. The city lies on the Bolan Pass route which was once the only gateway to and from South Asia.

Quetta has a continental, arid climate with a significant variation between summer and winter temperatures. Summer starts in late May and goes on until early September with average temperatures ranging from 24-26°C. Autumn begins in late September and continues until mid-November with average temperatures in the 12-18°C range. Winter starts in late November and ends in late March, with average temperatures near 4-5°C. Spring starts in early April and ends in late May, with average temperatures close to 15°C. Unlike most of Pakistan, Quetta does not have a monsoon season of sustained, heavy rainfall. In the winter snow is the principle mode of precipitation with snow falling mostly in the months of December, January and February. For your information, here below are the average temperatures in Quetta:  

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