Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: May 07, 2021 | 
| 中文
The Road to Zhob, Surrounded by Mountains (Photo credits to Tahir Khan Kayani)
When Xuanzang, the 7th century Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator traveled through the Indian Subcontinent and passed through what is now Balochistan, he recorded a settlement of Pashtuns by the Zhob River. This was one of the earliest recorded cities in the region alongside Quetta. The initial known name of this dwelling, mainly comprising of Mandokhel and Kakar tribes, was Appozai.
At the beginning of the 13th century, this land withstood the raids of the Mongol warrior, Genghis Khan. Later Pir Muhammad, a grandson of Tamerlane, famed Turco-Mongol conqueror, also charged through this verdant riverside territory. The area was also called 'Yaghistan’, or ‘the land of the rebels’, because despite multiple invaders attempting to subjugate it, the spirit of the people who lived here remained untamed. The area is replete with traces left behind by the subsequent Mughal, Durrani and Barakzai rulers in the form of forts, mounds, and an extensive network of Karizes or underground waterways peculiar to Balochistan.
In the middle of the 18th century, Ahmed Shah Abdali granted a Sanad (certificate) to Bekar Nika, head of the Jogezai family, conferring upon him the title of Badshah (Ruler) of Zhob. The Jogezais controlled the area until an expedition of the British in 1889 took over this stretch up till the Durand Line, forming the border with Afghanistan. The newly occupied region was made into a district named Fort Sandeman, named after Sir Robert Sandeman, who was the agent to the Governor-General of Balochistan at the time. This was a recognition of Sandeman’s innovative system of tribal pacification in the province, informally termed ‘Sandemanization’.
Fort Sandeman
Fort Sandeman was again retitled on 30 July 1976 when the then-Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, announced that the new name of the district would be ‘Zhob’. Taha Saleem, who has served as the Deputy Commissioner of the district explains, “Zhob means ‘oozing waters’ in Pushto and is actually the name of a river that is over 400 kilometers long, and passes about 4 km west of the biggest city of the district, also named Zhob.”
According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the total area of Zhob is 20,297 square kilometers, located about 1408 meters above sea level. In 2017, its population was estimated to be over 310,000. Zhob borders with Afghanistan to the North-West, Killa Saifullah and Loralai Districts to the South, Sherani District and South Waziristan to the North-East, and Musakhail District to the East.
Locals Moving Their Camels (Photo Credits to Aziz Ahmad Jamali)
The climate is pleasant in summers and extremely cold in winters. In the autumn season, weather becomes dry, while the rainy months of June, July and August are accompanied by thunder storms. The hilly areas receive heavy snow fall and snow storms during winters.
Wheat, mustard, barley, and vegetables are major crops and melons, apples, almond, apricots, grapes are also widely grown. Livestock rearing is an important source of livelihood for the locals. The area also has natural forests of wild olives, locally called ‘Shiney’. “The climatic conditions and the soil are extremely favorable for olive cultivation. If olive cultivation is promoted in this area, it can not only meet the domestic requirements, but Pakistan will be able to export olive oil to other countries. The region has great potential for tourism, due to its natural beauty and its historical and archeological importance,” explained Taha Saleem.
The Local Olive Gardens
Topographically, the district is covered with mountains and hills intersected by the valley of Zhob. The Toba-Kakar range covers the western half of the district. The Suleman range, locally called Kas-e-Ghar, lies on the eastern boundary. Sindh-Ghar, Tor-Ghar and Sur-Ghar ranges are situated on the eastern side, and in the south two parallel ridges divide Zhob from Loralai District.
The Mountains of Zhob (Photo credits to Tahir Khan Kayani)
Zhob’s rugged landscapes offer spellbinding views. The mysterious terrain is rife with legends. One legend is that on their way back to Palestine, Prophet Suleman or Solomon was requested by his newly-wed Indian bride that she be allowed to take a last look at her ancestral land. Solomon landed his ‘takht’, or flying throne, on the mountain that became known as the famous Takht-e-Suleman, or Solomon's Throne, the highest peak of Zhob. Paryan-o-Ghundi, which means ‘a hill of fairies’, is at a distance of two miles to the west of Zhob town. It was excavated by Sir Aurel Stein in 1924. Unfortunately, the mound has since been completely destroyed by the local people. “A beautiful military fort built by Sir Sandeman stands perched on a hill. It was recently restored and turned it into a museum. Last year a 200-year-old temple was handed back to the 400 Hindu families living in the district, and the government primary school being run in the temple building was relocated. The local Muslim clerics were more than happy to support this decision,” Taha Saleem informed.
The 200-Year-Old Hindu Temple at Zhob
Archeologists believe that the region that forms Zhob is a treasure-trove of prehistoric remains, including the now-reconstructed seven-meter-long Baluchitherium, the largest land mammal ever found. In 2017 another international expedition of paleontologists and sedimentologists came to Zhob following some markings discovered on a fossilized rock believed to be of Titanosaurian Sauropods, a giant four-legged long-necked plant-eater. While the jury is still out on the validity of this discovery, it remains without doubt that the awe-inspiring mountain gorges of Zhob hide many more wonders in their crevasses.
Hills and Grasslands of Zhob (Photo Credits to Tahir Khan Kayani)
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