Lasbela District
ضلعِ لسبیلہ لسبݔله دمگ | |
|---|---|
.png/1280px-Pakistan_-_Balochistan_-_Lasbela_(2022).png) Map of Balochistan with Lasbela District highlighted | |
| Coordinates: 25°13′38″N 66°18′22″E / 25.22722°N 66.30611°E / 25.22722; 66.30611 | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province |  Balochistan |
| Division | Kalat |
| Established | June 1954[1] |
| Headquarters | Uthal |
| Government | |
| • Type | District Administration |
| • District Police Officer | N/A |
| • District Health Officer | N/A |
| Area | |
• District | 15,153 km2 (5,851 sq mi) |
| Population (2023)[2] | |
• District | 680,977 |
| • Density | 44.940/km2 (116.39/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 330,585 (48.54%) |
| • Rural | 350,392 (51.46%) |
| Literacy [3] | |
| • Literacy rate |
|
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| Number of Tehsils | 5 |
Lasbela District (Urdu: لسبیلہ Lasbēla [ləsˈbeːla], Balochi: لسبݔله Lasbèla [lasˈbeːla]) is a coastal district and part of the Kalat Division situated in the south-east of Balochistan, Pakistan. Located approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) northwest of Karachi, the district is geographically and economically significant.
As per the 2023 Pakistani census, Lasbela has a population of 298,092. Its economy is predominantly based on fishing, agriculture, and livestock rearing, supplemented by mineral extraction, particularly limestone and gypsum, which contribute to regional industrial activity. The district is also historically important, with a strategic role during the British colonial period.
Lasbela experiences a hot and humid subtropical climate, with summer temperatures frequently exceeding 45 °C (113 °F), while winters remain relatively mild, ranging from 10 °C (50 °F) to 20 °C (68 °F). Rainfall is scarce, typically ranging from 60 millimetres (2.4 in) to 100 millimetres (3.9 in) annually.
The principal languages spoken are Balochi and Lasi (a dialect of Sindhi), reflecting the area's ethnolinguistic diversity. The town Uthal serves as the district's administrative headquarters.
Lasbela's varied landscape includes coastal and mountainous features, such as Sapat Beach, Kund Malir, Golden Beach, and Sonmiani Bay of the Arabian Sea, as well as the rugged terrain and seasonal waterfalls found in Kanraj, in the Kirthar Mountains, where minerals are extracted, like in Duddar.
History
The early history of Lasbela is for most parts obscure, until the rise of Aliani family of Jamotes in the 18th century.[4] In the early 7th century CE, the ruler of Armanbel (present-day Bela) was a Buddhist known as Samani, who descended from the governors appointed by Rai Sahiras, the maharaja of Sind. When Chach of Aror marched to Makran he was cordially received at Bela, and the ruler of Bela pledged his loyalty to him.[4]
The district lied on the route taken by Muhammad ibn al-Qasim during his invasion of Sind. It later formed part of the walayat al-Sind during the Caliphate period.[4]
Afterwards the Sindhi dynasties of Sumra and Samma appear to have held control of Lasbela. Sammas were overthrown by Shah Hussein Arghun in 1523, and the subsequent history of Lasbela is lost in obscurity, although the local clans of Gujars, Runjha, Gunga and Burfat are believed to have exercised a semi-independent control of the region.[4]
In 1742–1743, Jam Ali Khan, the chief of the Jamote tribe from the Koreja Family of Samma Dynasty, established his control over Lasbela with the help of Khan of Kalat. His descendants, known as Jam of Lasbela, ruled the state until 1947, when Jam Ghulam Qadir Khan acceded to Pakistan.[4] In 1960 Lasbela was combined with Karachi to form Karachi-Bela Division. It was returned to Kalat Division in 1972. Hub District was carved out of Lasbela in 2022.
Administration
The district of Lasbela is administratively divided in four tehsils, one sub-tehsil and 22 Union Councils.[5]
| Tehsil | Area
(km²)[6] |
Pop.
(2023) |
Density
(ppl/km²) (2023) |
Lit. rate
(2023) [7] |
Union Councils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uthal Tehsil[5][1][8] | 1,756 | 88,933 | 50.65 | 33.95% |
|
| Lakhra Tehsil[5] | 1,954 | 46,744 | 23.92 | 15.31% |
|
| Bela Tehsil[1][8] | 1,527 | 129,264 | 84.65 | 40.98% |
|
| Kanraj Tehsil[5] | 1,190 | 15,996 | 13.44 | 20.32% | |
| Liari Tehsil[5] | 2,010 | 17,155 | 8.53 | 16.09% |
Geography
The main rivers of Lasbela are Porali River with its tributaries, Winder River and Wirhab River. Other rivers are the Phor and Hingol which rise in Awaran District before flowing through Lasbela District on their way to the Arabian Sea.[9]
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 68,189 | — |
| 1961 | 82,997 | +1.98% |
| 1972 | 125,263 | +3.81% |
| 1981 | 188,139 | +4.62% |
| 1998 | 312,695 | +3.03% |
| 2017 | 576,271 | +3.27% |
| 2023 | 680,977 | +2.82% |
| Sources:[10] | ||
Population
As of the 2023 census, Lasbela district has 115,539 households and a population of 680,977. The district has a sex ratio of 105.04 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 32.47%: 45.86% for males and 26.48% for females.[11][12] 209,038 (30.7% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age.[13] 330,585 (48.55%) live in urban areas.[11]
Language
In the 1951 Census of Pakistan, 80% of population of former state of Las Bela was reported to be speaker of Sindhi, forming a majority. The share of Balochi was 19%.[14] At the time of the 2023 census, the share of Sindhi fell to 9.96% while that of Balochi rose to 75.32%. Other first languages include Brahui (8.09%) and Pashto (2.56%).[15]
Religion
In the 2023 census, Islam is the predominant religion with 96.55% followers, while Hinduism has 2.92% followers. There is also a minor population which adheres to Christianity.[2]
Education
The Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Science (LUAWMS) is located in Uthal. Balochistan Residential College (BRC) at Uthal. Polytechnic Institute at Uthal.
Economy
In the south east, an oil refinery Cnergyico was constructed in 2014 at Hub in Lasbela District which is capable of processing 120,000 barrels of oil. Furthermore, a power station is located adjacent to refinery, that produces about 1350 MW of power.[16]
Health
These are hospitals in Lesbela District:
- DHQ Hospital Lasbela
See also
Bibliography
- 1998 District census report of Lasbela. Census publication. Vol. 57. Islamabad: Population Census Organization, Statistics Division, Government of Pakistan. 1999.
References
- ^ a b c "History of Lasbela". Lasbela District Government website. 1 August 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ a b c "Population by Sex, Religion and Rural/Urban, Census - 2023" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "Literacy rate, enrolments, and out-of-school population by sex and rural/urban, CENSUS-2023, BALOCHISTAN" (PDF).
- ^ a b c d e 1998 Census report, pp. 8–10.
- ^ a b c d e "Tehsils & Unions- Lasbela District". National Reconstruction Bureau, Government of Pakistan website. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ "TABLE 1 : AREA, POPULATION BY SEX, SEX RATIO, POPULATION DENSITY, URBAN POPULATION, HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE, CENSUS-2023, BALOCHISTAN" (PDF).
- ^ "LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023, BALOCHISTAN" (PDF).
- ^ a b c d Saleem Shahid and Abdul Wahid Shahwani (24 February 2019). "Efforts on to rescue people from Balochistan's flood-hit areas". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ 1998 Census report, p. 2.
- ^ "Population by administrative units 1951-1998" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ a b "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 1" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 12" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "7th Population and Housing Census: Population by Mother Tongue, Sex and Rural/Urban" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "Census of Pakistan, VOLUME 2 1951. Baluchistan: Report & Tables" (PDF). Manager of Publications, Government of Pakistan, Karachi. 1951.
- ^ "Population by Mother Tongue, Sex and Rural/Urban, Census-2023" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ Saad Hasan (4 July 2014). "A matter of weeks: Byco ready to utilise its Hub refinery". The Express Tribune (newspaper). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
External links
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- Lasbela District at Balochistan Government website
