Kharan (Urdu: ?????) is a district in the north-west of Balochistan province of Pakistan.^[1] Kharan was notified as a district in 1951 and the Deputy Commissioner’s office started functioning on March 15th 1952. It is one of the oldest districts of Balochistan. The Deputy Commissioner directly supervises all activities in the district. He also supervises the functions of all Departments through the district-level heads of these Departments. The district is divided into five Tehsils, eleven Patwar Circles and 394 Mauzas (villages). Pakistan's second nuclear test was performed in the Kharan desert on May 30, 1998 with a miniaturised device yielding 60 percent of the Ras Koh Hills tests.^[2]

Administration

The district is administratively subdivided into the following tehsils:

• Besima
• Kharan
• Mashkel
• Nag
• Wasuk

Notable people

• Lt. Gen. (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch (former Governor of Balochistan)
• Amanullah Baloch (President of the Balochistan Bar Association)
• Prof. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Yallanzai Baloch (Principal Bolan Medical College Quetta)
• Dr. Azad Khan Nosharwani

Population

The population of Kharan district was estimated to be over 250,000 in 2005. Over 99% of the people of the area are Muslims. The main Baloch tribes of the district are Nausherwani and Mengal. Yallanzai is one of largest tribe in union council Tomul and Jangian of District Kharan

The Tauqi tribe also lives in the area.

 See also

• Kharan
• Qila Ladgasht
• Nausherwani tombs

 References