Quetta District

Quetta (Urdu: کوئٹہ) was an administrative district in the northwestern part of the Balochistan province of Pakistan till 11 July 2026, when it was bifurcated into two districts namely Quetta East and Quetta West. According to the 2023 Pakistani census population of Quetta District is 2,272,290 (2.2 million).

The district, which was part of Quetta Division, was famous for its agriculture produce, most notably fruit orchards, including apples and grapes. The Hanna Valley is an area where almonds are grown. The population counted in the 1998 census was 760,000, while in 2010 it was estimated at 1,235,000, and in 2017 at 2,275,699.

History

The ancient name of Quetta was Shalkot, a term by which it is still known among the people of the country. The district was held in turns by the Ghaznavids, Ghurids, and Mongols, and towards the end of the fifteenth century was conferred by the ruler of Herat on Shah Beg Arghun, who, however, had shortly to give way before the rising power of the Mughals. The Ain-i-Akbari mentions both Shal and Pishin as supplying military service and revenue to Akbar, however these areas passed with Kandahar to the Safavids. On the rise of the Khilji power in Kandahar at the beginning of the eighteenth century, simultaneously with that of the Baloch in Kalat, Quetta and Pishin became i to the hand of British with the treaty of durand.

British Era

During the 19th century Quetta (Shalkot) was captured by the British troops during the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1879.