Loralai District

Infobox Pakistan district
district = Loralai District
area =
population =
pop_year =
density =
established =
nazim = Jahanzeb Luni
naib_nazim = Aziz-ur-Rehman
seats =
tehsils =
languages =
website =

---

caption =
region = Balochistan

Loralai is a district in the centre of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Loralai district was created on October, 1903. Loralai town is the district headquarters. Loralai was further partitioned in 1992 when Musakhel and Barkhan were given the status of separate administrative districts.

Boundary

The present boundaries of Loralai district contain two sub-divisions namely sub-division Duki and sub-division Bori. Duki sub-division is further divided into Tehsil Duki and Sub-Tehsil Sinjavi. Sub-division Bori consists of tehsil Bori and sub-tehsil Makhter.

History

In 1545 A.D Duki (Tehsil of Loralai Distt) a dependency of the Kandahar province was conferred upon Mir Sayyid Ali by Mughal Emperor Humayun. The province of Kandahar continued under Mughals till 1559 A.D in which year it passed into the hands of the Safavids Kings of Persia and remained under their control until 1595 A.D. In 1595 A.D it was recaptured by Emperor Akbar the great. During Akbar’s reig the territory of Duki which was generally garrisoned, formed an eastern dependency of the Kandahar Province and provided a contingent of 500 horses and 1000 foot soldiers. In 1622 Kandahar again passed under the Safavids. In 1653 Emperor Shah Jahan sent a large expedition under his eldest son Dara-Shikoh to regain Kandahar but in vain. This was the last attempt on the part of the Mughals to regain Kandahar which was now lost to them for ever. Mir Wais Ghilzai established Ghilzai power in Kandahar in about 1709 A.D. After 30 years of supremacy the Ghilzai power gave way to Nadir Shah who captured after a severe struggle in 1737 A.D. However in 1747 A.D Nadir Shah was assassinated and Ahmad Shah Durrani took over the reign of govt. The Durranis were followed in about 1826 by the Barakzai under Dost Mohammad.

Almost the whole of Loralai Distt remained under this dynasty till1879. In 1879 A.D Duki and the Thal Chotiali country with other parts of Balochistan passed into the hands of the British. In 1879 at the close of the first phase of Afghan war a British contingent while returning from Kandahar was opposed by a large body of tribes men from the Zhob and Bori valley at Baghao under command of Shah Jahan chief of Zhob. However tribal lashkar was defeated completely. In 1881 Thal Chotiali (Sibi) which incl Duki was made Sub distt of the Harnai political Agency. In 1881 inhabitants of Sanjavi were brought under British subjugation. In 1883 it was decided to build cantt at Duki and the garrison of Thal Chotiali (Sibi) was moved to that place, leaving a detachment at Gumbaz. In October 1884 a force comprising 4800 men moved in to Bori (Loralai) valley and the mission was completely successful. In the following years it was decided that a frontier road should be constructed from Dera Ghazi Khan to Pishin through Loralai. The cantt from Duki was accordingly mov fwd in 1886 to Loralai and mil posts were stationed at Sanjavi, Mekhtar and Kingri. The HQ of Asst Political Agent at Duki was also changed to Loralai. In Nov 1887 Duki and Thal Chotiali (Sibi) were declared parts of British India and for the purpose of adm the designation of the Political Agent was changed to that of Deputy Commissioner. In 1888 Sir Robert Sandeman proceeded with a small force through Musa Khel to Southern Zhob. Ultimately this led to the occupation of the Zhob valley in 1889. Loralai town and cantt remained under the Thal Chotiali Dist until 1894 when it was made over to the Zhob Agency. In Oct 1903 the Thal Chotali and Zhob Agencies were remodeled and the name of former was changed to Sibi Distt and a new Distt, Loralai was created. To this were tfr the Musa Khel and Bori Tehs from Zhob and Duki, Sanjavi and Barkhan Tehs from the Thal Chotiali Distt.In 1930 Malik Baran Khan Kudezai of Zangiwal killi started a democratic movement against British Empire by the name of "Anjuman Himayat-i-Watan". The founder of this movement was Khan Shaheed Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai in Southern areas of Pashtunkhuwa(NWFP). This was first well oraganized democratic movement in the history of Loralai as well as in history of Zhob division. Baran Khan Kudezai established an office in Loralai city near Paharhi Muhallah (Mountainous part in city). In 1931 the Tehreek was in more spirit and succeeded, a huge number of people joined the tehreek and they demanded a separate homeland for Pashtoons in sothern and western areas of NWFP. In western areas the Khudai Khidmat Gar tehreek was on peak for independence from British emperor. Baran Khan invited the Khan Abdul Ghaffar khan in Loralai in 1938 and there held a huge public meeting in city with the help of Anjuman Himayat-i-Watan. Abudul Samad Khan also participated in that meeting. At night Abdul Ghaffar Khan take dinner in Zangiwal village with Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai in Baran khan hujra(guestroom).In 1939, Commissionar of Loralai District started a crakdown against all the political leaders of Tehreek and arrested more than hundreds of the leaders. Baran Khan was also arrested and was punished for 6 months judicial remands in centeral jail Quetta.In jail the Jail Superintendent offered three large shops in main Jinnah road and asked to Baran Khan Kudezai to take aside from this movement and leave in Quetta. Baran Khan rejected these offers and submitted his life to the his own homeland by name of Pashtonistan or Pashtunkhuwa.

Demography

The population of Loralai district was estimated to be over 700,000 in 2005. The vast majority of the population of Loralai district are Pakhtun with Kakar as majority tribe. The district offers a great blend of mixed tribes from all parts of Pakistan. Some major tribes of Loralai have migrated from the parts of Zhob like Batozai, Jogezai, Jalalzai and Musazai

=Main Tribes= District Loralaiis inhabited by pre dominately Pathan tribes. Maj tribes are:Kakar, Nasar, Musakhail, Sulaimankhail and a mix of all the settler tribes like Panjabi, Seriaki, Buzdar, Baloch, Peshawari and all the rest.

Loralai

(a) Batozai(b) Kakar (c) Tareen(d) Luni(e) Hamzazai(e) Khajjak(f) Shadozai(g) sargarai(h) Jogezai (j) Utmankhel(k) Kudezai(L) Jalalzai(M) Musakhail(N) Qureshi(o) Nasar

Duki

(a) Tareen(b) Luni(c) Nasar(d) Zarkoon(e) sargarai(f) Khajjak(Hamzazai)

Musa Khel

(a) Belkhel(b) Jaffar(c) Laharzai(d) Syed (Ghar Sheen)

Development

Loralai city has its own radio broadcasting station and mobile coverage of three operators. With the completion of the Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan road, many people see a much more brighter and prosperous future for the district since the travel to DG Khan is important in many ways like the transportation of cash crops and food crops and coal loaded trucks from Chamalang coal mines. The road in under construction between Wagum Rud and khajuri since long. Now the fresh contact has been awarded to FWO and fresh date for its completion is December 2008. All coal loaded trucks heading to Punjab and other areas tavel on this road.

NGOs

Many NGOs are working in Loralai district initially for the Afghan refugees and host communities and now for the whole resident communities. Mercy Corps, an International humanitarian organisation has recently started its ECTB program in Loralai along with five other districts i.e. Barkhan, Kohlu, Musakhel and Ziarat. ECTB program is intended to provide free test and diagnosis for the patients of killer disease Tuberculosis. Mercy Corps will also start many other projects from reproductive health to HIV & AIDS control program in its future plans for the district of Loralai. This project of ECTB is funded by the European Union and implemented by Mercy Corps. Some other local NGOs are also working in the region like LAFAM,"Association For Heath Development(A H D)"which is working on malaria and has started its free medical camp in D H Q hospital Duki in collaboration with directorate of malaria control program and remained its camp open as long as malari being controlled in the area. WRANGA and many more. Wrang is a pashto language word which means 'beam of light'.

Resources

All kinds of fruits and vegetables are cultivated in this district. Loralai is especially famous for its almond and apple production. Loralai is also rich in marble and its marble tiles are gaining popularity throughout the country. A lot of marble trimming factories have been established in the district and it now provides marble tiles to various parts of the country. The major source of income for the common inhabitants is agriculture and farming.and also for marble industries . nasrullah marble and mining co one of the company from area it is working since 1998 .

The town, which is situated 4700 ft above the sea level in which the wealth of the inhabitants is derived from their herds of cattle and other animals also. The district is also popular in the business of items especially vehicles smuggled here through Afghan Transit Trade. All types of vehicles are smuggled to Loralai and then to the other parts of the country after being customed or duplicated in papers here.