Kachhi District Explained

Kachhi District should not be confused with Kutch District.

Official Name:Kachhi District
Settlement Type:District of Balochistan
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Pakistan
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Type2:Division
Subdivision Name2:Nasirabad
Seat Type:Headquarters
Seat:Dhadar
Government Type:District Administration
Leader Title:Deputy Commissioner
Leader Name:N/A
Leader Title1:District Police Officer
Leader Name1:N/A
Leader Title2:District Health Officer
Leader Name2:N/A
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:5682
Population As Of:2023
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:442,674
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:PST
Utc Offset1:+5
Established Title:Established
Established Date:December 1991
Blank1 Name Sec1:Number of Tehsils
Demographics1 Title1:Main language(s)
Demographics1 Info1:Balochi, Sindhi, Saraiki

Kachhi or Kacchi (Baluchi: کچّی دمگ, Urdu: {{Nastaliq|ضلع کچّھی), previously known until 2008 as Bolan District,[2] is a district located in the central part of the Balochistan province in Pakistan.[3] The Bolan area remained under one district Kacchi until 31 December 1991. The Deputy Commissioner's office started functioning on 17 May 1992, and Bolan became one of the four districts of Naseerabad Division, until the abolition of Divisions in 2000.

In 2013, it was announced that the tehsil of Bhag would be split off to form part of the new Lehri District.[4]

History

The Kachhi Plains are the home of the archeological site of Mehrgarh. One of the most important Neolithic sites in archaeology, lies on what is now the Kachhi Plain of today's Balochistan, Pakistan. It is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming (wheat and barley) and herding (cattle, sheep and goats) in South Asia.[5]

Until the end of the 15th century mehargarh was ruled by meena tribe.[6] Around 1500, it was taken by Shah Beg of the Arghun dynasty from the Samma dynasty of the Sultans of Sindh. The territory was conquered by the Kalhora Amirs of Sindh,[7] [8] who were themselves displaced by the Nadir Shah of Persia. Shah gave the territory to the Kalat Khanate in 1740.[9] [10] Kachhi was notified as a district in February 1965. At that time Naseerabad, Jhal Magsi and Jafarabad districts were included; these were separated in 1987.

Administrative divisions

The district is administratively subdivided into the following Tehsils:[3]

The Union councils of Kachhi District are:

Demographics

In the 2023 census, Islam was the predominant religion with 98.62%, while Hindus were 0.89% of the population.[11]

At the time of the 2023 census, 58.88% of the population spoke Balochi, 17% Sindhi, 12.29% Saraiki and 10.25% Brahui as their first language.[12]

Religion in Kacchi District
ReligionPopulation (1941)[13] Percentage (1941)Population (2011)Percentage (2011)Population (2023)Percentage (2023)
79,016 306,306436,54798.62%
7,095 3,2233,9560.89%
1540.01%
4032,0340.46%
Others830.02%
Total Population86,112309,932442,674100%

Education

According to the Pakistan District Education Rankings 2017, district Kachhi is ranked at number 109 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 43% whereas for females it was only 23%.[14]

Post primary access is a major issue in the district with 86% schools being at primary level. Compare this with high schools which constitute only 6% of government schools in the district. This is also reflected in the enrolment figures for 2016–17 with 12,688 students enrolled in class 1 to 5 and only 261 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 139 out of the 155 districts of Pakistan for primary school infrastructure. At the middle school level, it is ranked at number 129 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 half of the government schools in the district do not have electricity, toilet and a boundary wall. 213 out of 465 schools do not have clean drinking water.

The main issues for the district is the unavailability of teachers in schools.[15]

External links

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/balochistan/dcr/table_1.pdf.
  2. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\04\28\story_28-4-2008_pg7_11 District Bolan renamed Kachhi
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20110807195739/http://www.nrb.gov.pk/lg_election/union.asp?district=100&dn=Bolan Tehsils & Unions in the District of Bolan - Government of Pakistan
  4. http://www.dawn.com/news/1012828/new-district-in-balochistan New district in Balochistan
  5. Hirst, K. Kris. 2005. Mehrgarh, Pakistan - Life in the Indus Valley Before Harappa. Thought Co.
  6. Web site: Sibi . Visitorsheaven.com . 2017-07-17.
  7. Web site: Cities of Pakistan (Sibi) . PakistanPaedia . 2009-02-02 . 2017-07-17.
  8. Web site: Being private in public. DAWN Magazine. 6 May 2007 . 2011-03-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070803010212/http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/070506/dmag25.htm . 2007-08-03 .
  9. https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V22_344.gif Sibi District - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 22, p. 338.
  10. Web site: Ghulam Shah Kalhora and Relations With Kutch . Panhwar.com . 2002-11-02 . 2017-07-17.
  11. Web site: Pakistan Census 2023 . www.pbscensus.gov.pk . Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
  12. Web site: Pakistan Census 2023 .
  13. Web site: CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME 14 BALUCHISTAN. 20 July 2022.
  14. Web site: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. 2016. Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey 2014-15. Islamabad. Government of Pakistan. 111. 6 August 2018.
  15. Web site: Taleem Do! App – Elections 2018 | #TaleemDo . elections.alifailaan.pk . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180803074507/https://elections.alifailaan.pk/taleemdo-app/ . 3 August 2018 . dead.