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Every issue we take a journey to a different region
in Afghanistan. This issue we selected the south-eastern province of Zabul.
By Daud Saba
June-Sept. 1998
Lemar-Aftaab
Zabul
The province of Zabul is located between the provinces of Kandahar and
Ghazni. Until 1963 it belonged to the province of Kandahar.
It then received the status of an independent province
with the capital of Kalat.
Kalat is a township situated at the vicinity of the main Kabul-Kandahar highway.
The main attraction of Kalat is its military forts on the ancient carvan roads. Kalat was most important township between Kandahar and Ghazni in the past. The expansion of Kalat started right after the establishment of the main Kabul-Kandahar highway at the beginning of the 20th century. With the creation of a new bazaar in 1940s, small residential plots also emerged. In 1973 the township of Kalat had a population of 4000 (600 family). One third of the houses had electricity and were supplied with drinking water. Generally the infrastructure of the town was substantially improved in 1970s. Though the resources have not been sufficient, but the town had a 30 bed health care clinic, water and electricity, which is way far beyond the available resources of similar townships.
The Bazaar in Kalat had 340 shops and six caravansaries in 1976. Most of the business in this township was comprised of services for travelers. However, the expansion and renovation project of this township was suddenly stopped at the end of 1970s like most renovation projects in Afghanistan due to political turmoil.
Another factors in slow renovation of the town is the lack of abundant water resources, the exposure of bare rock surfaces on the ground, and the low number of productive population with its situation as densely populated cities of Afghanistan. Thus, there were plans to move the capital of Zabul from Kalat to the second most important town Shajuiy that is located in the northeastern part of the province.
Shajuiy is a township located at the vast Tarnak valley with green lands and many kareez (traditional underground water channels used for irrigation and other purposes).The bazaar in township had 200 shops produces a kind of traditional footwear used in south-western Afghanistan. Because of the remoteness of this township, it did not receive attention from provincial or central governments of Afghanistan.
Note: Due to the lack of academic research of Zabul and
other certain provinces of Afghanistan, there is not sufficient information
on the aspects of geography, economy, and the population of
townships and villages.
Past Journeys:
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Copyright © 1998 Lemar-Aftaab Publications. All Rights Reserved.
May not be duplicated or distributed in any form without permission.
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