The Balochistan Plateau

• The Balochistan Plateau is located in the southwest part of Pakistan.
• The Balochistan Plateau has a few irregular depressions called basins. In Northern Balochistan There are the Loralai and Zhob basins between the Toba Kakar range and Sulaiman range.
• To the southwest of the Loralai basin, there is the Quetta Valley which is surrounded by mountains and when it rains, the rivers form narrow channels and as they reach the foothills of the mountains, they deposit gravel and boulders in addition to sand and silt. The deposition of these materials form alluvial fans on the Piedmont plains.
• There are many basins in western Balochistan between mountain ranges. The ranges are the Chagai Hills, Ras Koh, Siahan and Central Makran.
• The area of western Balochistan is almost totally devoid of vegetation and there is also very little Rainfall.
• The basins of western Balochistan have no outlet to the sea, so when it rains, it drains into temporary streams which flow into basins and soak into the ground or form temporary lakes. This is why they are called Inland drainage basins.
• The temporary lakes are called hamuns in the local language and the are salt lakes that leave behind a salty crust when their water has been evaporated and so then it is called a salt pan
• The largest salt lake there is called Hamun-e-Mashkel.
• The Balochistan Plateau hasany barren mountain ranges which are highly mineralised, like the Chagai Hills. These mountains have copper, Gold and sulphur deposits.
• Some ranges of the Balochistan Plateau are the Ras Koh range, the Hala range, the Makran coast range, the Central Brahui range, the Toba Kakar range and Siahan range.
• The coastal areas of the Balochistan Plateau are divided into the Eastern and Western part. The Eastern part is the Lasbela Plain, and the western part is the Makran Coast.
• Rivers like the Hab, Porali, Hingol and Dasht flow into the Arabian sea through the Balochistan Plateau coast.
• The Balochistan Plateau is surrounded by and crossed by mountains.
• The Balochistan Plateau has very low rainfall and so the climate is dry and extreme.
• The population density of Balochistan is the lowest, despite it being the biggest province of the country.
• Balochistan has many untapped resources which are not being taken advantage of.
• There is no major source of water in the Balochistan Plateau and there is a a scarcity of both drinking and irrigation water. Supplies are mostly dependent on small water schemes such as the Karez system, flood diversion channels and a small number of tubewells.
• The road network in Balochistan has been greatly expanded and improved in the 21st century.
• Crop farming and livestock raising are the main activities in Balochistan. 67% of the labour force is engaged in these activities.
• Balochistan is rich in minerals. There are many coal mines and the Saindak Copper-Gold project. The coal mines employ more than 80% of the population in some places. A lot of the coal produced is sold to factories in Punjab.
• A survey has found deposits of antimony and gold in some areas Balochistan. Balochistan also has deposits of crude oil and natural gas.
• In Balochistan, The main fruits grown are dates, grapes, apples, Almonds, Apricots, plums, peaches, melons and pomegranates. About 75% of total production is moved to markets in other provinces. Karachi Is the biggest market for Balochistan fruits. Some fruits are also exported to the Gulf states.
• The chilly weather in winters in Balochistan is perfect for transplanting vegetable seeds and the warm summers are perfect for flowering them.
• Nomadic livestock farming is practiced in Balochistan because of the scarcity of water. The most important livestock products are wool, goat hair and skins. After meeting domestic requirements, these livestock products are exported abroad after a government grading scheme ensures it's quality.
• In Balochistan fishing is practiced for subsistence and commercial purposes.
• Balochistan's 3 main fishing ports are Gwadar, Pasni and Ormara. A lot of the catch is consumed locally and around 30% is exported to European union countries, Japan, China, Malaysia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Singapore and the USA.
• Mineral resources in the Balochistan Plateau are being explored, like in the Saindak Copper-Gold project.
• Products from sheep and goats in the Balochistan Plateau are exportable, but need improvement, both quantitatively, and qualitatively.
• New technology and higher standards in fish processing have opened up new export markets.