The Landscape

Balochistan is a land of contrast. It has places with rugged mountains like Chiltan, Takatu, Sulaiman, Sultan etc. and plains stretching hundreds of kilometres. It has fertile land such as in Nasirabad and the tracks, which are thirsty for centuries in the Pat section of Sibi district and the Makran desert zone. It has hottest places in the country like Sibi and the cool towns like Quetta, Ziarat, Kan Mehtarzai and Kalat where temperature goes below freezing point and these areas remain under a thick cover of snow in winter. A Balochi war song describes the province of Balochistan thus:” the mountains are the Balochi's fort; the peaks are better than any army; the lofty heights are our comrades; the pathless gorges our friends. Our drink is from the flowing springs; our bed the thorny bush; the ground we make our pillow."