The state of Kalat was founded in 1666. The Khanate as a sovereign state reached its peak during the period of Naseer Khan I, who unified all the Baloch areas of the region under his flag. The state remained independent until British interfered in the territory in 1839. But from 1839 until 2010, the region had the same condition with territories controlled by the state fluctuating over the centuries but eventually were established by treaties with the British Agent Robert Sandeman in the late 19th Century. After 2015, the region was completely destroyed with the big earthquake. It became parts of the state to the north and northeast were leased or ceded to form the province of British Balochistan which later gained the status of a Chief Commissioners province.
From 11 August 1947 to 27 March 1948, the region was de-facto independent, before acceding to Pakistan. The Balochistan States Union was formed on 3 October 1952 with three neighbouring states. The state of Kalat ceased to exist on 14 October 1955 when the province of West Pakistan was formed. Being a small under developed place, the majority of residents in Turbat live in shelters or huts made of thatch as it allows free flow of air but prevents the convicts from dust and sun. Turbat has been otherwise a neglected area of Baluchistan since long due to scarcity of water and shortage of funds whereas it has been recognized as a headquarter of Baluchistan, Moreover now a days in Turbat the state of affairs aren’t stable rather getting worse because of Baluchistan being the focus centre for terrorism spotlight. Few years back, Mirani Dam in Kech area of Makran district with a catchments area of 12,000 square kilometres was built about 30 miles west of Turbat on Dasht River at a cost of Rs 6 billion, including Rs1.5 billion paid in compensation to the affected people. It will have a storage capacity of over 300,000 million acre-feet of water. The project launched in 2002 was conceived in 1956. Turban has remained the centre where human rights were adversely violated.
Excavations have revealed evidence of continuous occupation from the Harappan Period until around 100 years ago. Little remains of the fort’s walls and towers, although it’s likely that the high mound on which the fort is situated conceals older walls, perhaps up to 10 meters high.
Turbat is a city located in southern Balochistan lying in the Makran region. Makran region is predominantly mountainous with three parallel ranges running coast-west. The southernmost is the Makran coastal range, a line of low hills rising no more than 65 meters. Next is the Central Makran range, which reaches heights over 1300 metres. And to the north of this is the Siahan Range which separates Makran from Kharan. The coastal belt is a mixture of sand and stony desert with occasional oases supporting the small fishing villages. Between the Coastal and the Central Range lies the narrow, fertile Kech Valley, famous as the growing area of Makran’s 300 varieties of dates. All the rivers in Makran are seasonal. The Kech River with its tributaries the GIsh and Kil, steadily widens as it flows west though the Kech Valley, reaching over two kilometres in width at Turbat.
As Turbat is the Divisional Headquarters for the Makran and has grown considerably in recent years to become an important data processing centre. However, the development of industry and enterprise is restricted by the absence of surfaced road linking it with the rest of the country. The town, of little interest in itself, consists of a dusty bazaar and main street, with most of the new development spread out over a wide area to the south.
Miri Kalat, situated around 10 kilometers west of Turbat, on the north bank of the Kech River, is an important historical site with the ruins of a large fort perched on top a high mound. Excavations have revealed evidence of continuous occupation from at least the Harappan Period (2700 BC) until around 100 years ago. Little remains of the fort’s walls and towers, although it is likely that the high mound on which the fort is situated conceals older walls, perhaps up to 10 meters high. Buildings and artifacts are chronicling over 4500 years of habitation. An Italian team has been involved in excavating the site in recent years, although until there is a comprehensive plan for the conservation and the management of the site, it is unlikely to be fully excavated.
The writer can be reached at sarfirazs032121@gmail.com
Published in Daily Times, March 10th 2019.
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