| Jafarabad District | |
| Official Name: | District Jaffarabad |
| Settlement Type: | District of Balochistan |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Pakistan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | Division |
| Subdivision Name2: | Nasirabad |
| Seat Type: | Headquarters |
| Seat: | Dera Allah Yar |
| Government Type: | District Administration |
| Leader Title: | Deputy Commissioner |
| Leader Name: | Azhar Shahzad |
| Leader Title1: | Assistant Commissioner |
| Leader Name1: | Fahad Bashir Cheema |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 690 |
| Population As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Total: | 594,558 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Urban: | 163393 |
| Population Rural: | 431,165 |
| Timezone1: | PST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5 |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1987 |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Constituency |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | NA 261 |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Balochi, Sindhi, Brahui, Siraiki |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Balochi, Sindhi |
| Website: | Official site |
Jafarabad (bal|جعفر آباد, ur|{{nq|ضلع جعفر آباد), district lies in the southeastern part of Pakistan's province of Balochistan. Dera Allah Yar, also known as Jhatpat among locals, serves as the district headquarters. Jaffarabad District is sub-divided into two tehsils. According to 2023 Pakistani census Jafarabad district has a population of 594,558.
Jafarabad District created in 1987 by bifurcation of Nasirabad District. Sohbatpur, Usta Muhammad & Gandakha ended being part of Jafarabad district. Jafarabad district is named after Mir Jafar Khan Jamali.[1]
In 2022 Usta Muhammad was split off to form the new district of Usta Muhammad.
At the time of the 2023 census the district had a population of 594,558.[2]
Islam is the predominated religion of the district with 98.33% followers.
At the time of the 2023 census, 51.9% of the population spoke Balochi, 19.33% Sindhi, 15.45% Saraiki, and 12.07% Brahui as their first language.[3]
The district of Jaffarabad is administratively subdivided into the following two Tehsils:[4]
| Tehsil | Area(km²)[5] | Pop.(2023) | Density(ppl/km²) (2023) | Literacy rate(2023)[6] | Union Councils | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jafarabad Tehsil | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | |
| Jhatpat Tehsil | 690 | 302,498 | 438.40 | 36.70% | ... |
According to the Pakistan District Education Rankings 2017, district Jafarabad is ranked at number 113 out of the 141 ranked districts in Pakistan on the Education Score index. This index considers learning, gender parity and retention in the district.
Literacy rate in 2014–15 of population 10 years and older in the district stood at 36% whereas for females it was only 15%.[7]
Post primary access is a major issue in the district with 89% schools being at primary level. Compared with high schools which only constitute 4% of government schools in the district. This is also reflected in the enrolment figures with 27,448 students enrolled in class 1 to 5 and only 736 students enrolled in class 9 and 10.
Gender disparity is another issue in the district. Only 28% schools in the district are girls’ schools. Access to education for girls is a major issue in the district and is also reflected in the low literacy rates for females.
Moreover, the schools in the district lack basic facilities. According to Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2017, the district is ranked at number 117 out of the 155 districts of Pakistan for primary school infrastructure. At the middle school level, it is ranked at number 116 out of the 155 districts. These rankings take into account the basic facilities available in schools including drinking water, working toilet, availability of electricity, existence of a boundary wall and general building condition. More than 3 out of 5 schools in the district lack electricity, working toilet and a boundary wall. More than 1 out of 5 schools do not have clean drinking water.
The main issues reported in Taleem Do! App for the district are unavailability of class rooms for students and a lack of university. Political interference is also reported in development of new schools.