Chagai
Chagai
Chagai derives its name from “Chagai”
a village on the western border of the Lora Hamun. The legend attributes the origin of the name
to the numerous wells (Chahas) which are said to have formerly existed in the
vicinity.
Very little is
known about the ancient history of Chagai.
The earliest monuments are the ruins of terraced embankments. These are found
at the foot of the Ras-Koh hills; they are ascribed to the fire-worshippers,
who are said to have been the inhabitants of this area more than two thousand
years ago. The next traces of ancient
history are the square shaped tombs in the western areas of the district, which
are attributed by the local traditions to the Kianian dynasty of Iran.
The remains of
the ruined forts and karezes found in different parts of the district are
assigned to the Arabs. These are also sometimes attributed to the Mughals and
in any case indicate the presence of a richer civilization than is now found
among the Baloch and Brahvi inhabitants of the district.
The Baloch are
perhaps the oldest inhabitants of the district, who according to themselves
migrated from Aleppo. The Brahvis, about
whose origin there are different
theories, must have moved towards the north from their original home in Kalat
District and settled down in pockets with a major concentration in the Nushki
area. Both the Brahvi and Baloch appear
to have been firmly established in the
beginning of the 16th century, as is seen from a narrative of the flight
of the Mughal Emperor Hamayun along the valley of the Hilman to Seistan in
1543. From the middle to the end of the 16th century, the district remained
under the rule of the Safavid dynasty.
Later it appears in history as part of the Mughal Empire and with the
downfall of the Mughal power, the northern portion of the Nushki was annexed to
the territories of Khan of Kalat, Mir Abdullah Khan (1716 - 1730). In 1733 Sher Khan the Baloch, Chief of
Nushki, submitted to Mir Hassan, the second son of Mir Wais and the founder of
the Ghilzai dynasty. Mir Hassan ruled
the adjacent Pathan area now forming Quetta and Pishin districts, and compelled
the Baloch and Brahvi tribes to tender their allegiance to.
A few years
later, Nadir Shah sent an expedition against Nushki under Muhammad Ali Beg, who
inflicted a severe defeat on the Baloch near Shorawak. In 1740 Nadir Shah conferred Nushki as a fief
upon the chief of Kharan. Later it was retaken by Mir Nasir Khan, the great
Brahvi ruler (1750-1793) and Nushki became a Niabat of the then Kalat State and
remained so for about a century.
The advent of
the British in this area commenced with the British agreement of 1878 with the
Khan of Kalat. Subsequently as a result
of the partial survey and definitions of the western boundary with Iran from
Kuhak to Koh-i-Malik Siah and
demarcation of the Afghan Baloch boundary in 1896, the western Sanjrani
(present Dalbandin sub-division and Nokkundi Tehsil) became part of Kalat
State. In November, 1896 the first
British Political Agent of Chagai was appointed. Nushki continued to be Niabat to Kalat
State. Three years later, however the
Niabat of Nushki was leased by the British from the Khan on an annual rent of
Rs. 9,000. The management of the Niabat
was handed over on the 1st July, 1899 to the British Government. This was done
with giving all the rights and privileges, as well as full and exclusive
revenue, civil and criminal jurisdiction, including all rights to levy dues and
tolls. From July, 1899 to the 13th August, 1947 the district remained under the
British Government. After independence in 1947 and after the declaration of
Balochistan as a province in 1970, Chagai became a district within Quetta
Division
The only
features of archaeological interest
in the district are the remains of ancient forts, karezes, dams and
cupolas. Their history is not known and
they are ascribed by the inhabitants indiscriminately to either the Arabs or
the Mughals. In Dalbandin Tehsil there
are ruins of several cupolas in the neighborhood of Padag and Zarala.
There are several well known shrines in the
district. The most important of these
are the shrines of Sayyad Bala Nosh near Chagai and that of Sher Jan Agha near Keshingi. The other shrines are of Pir Sultan, Sheikh
Hussain, Sayyad Khawaja Ahmad, etc. The Ziarat Ghaibi, Zinda Pir and Chil Ghazi
situated in the Nushki Tehsil are also quite famous.
Pakistan tested its nuclear weapons on chagai in 28th may 1998.