Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/212

 160 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — BALUCHISTAN

is His Highness Sir Mir Mahinud Khan, G.C.I.E., Beglar B4gi Khan or Wali of Kalat, who succeeded on the abdication of his father, the late Mir Khudadad Khan, in November, 1893.

The Khan of Kalat is the head of a confederacy of chiefs, but the extent of his control has now been considerably reduced. In all important matters he is amenable to the advice of the Agent to the Governor-General in Baluchistan, who also arbitrates in disputes between the Khan and minor chiefs. The area of Kalat State, including Mikran and Kharan, is 73,278 square miles, and the population 359,086 (1911 census).

The Khan's revenue, including the subsidies and rents for the leased areas paid by the British Government, amounts to about 12,00,000 rupees annually. The Khan has an irregular force of 301 cavalry, infantry, and artillery, and 12 guns. The chief towns in the State are Kalat, Mastung, Rhag, Gaudawa, Dadhar, Turbat, and Panjgur.

The ruling chief of Las Bela has the title of Jim. Jam Mir Khan, the grandfather of the present chief, succeeded in 1840 ; Jim Ali Khan, his father, succeeded in 1889 ; and Jam' Mir Kamal Khan, CLE., the present chief, succeeded in 1896. The area of the State is 7,132 square miles ; popu- lation,. 61,205 (1911 census): revenue varies from 3 to 4 lakhs; military force. 112 infantry, 10 cavalry, and 3 guns ; military police force, 59 men. Before the British occupation the ruler of Las Bela was a feudatory of the Khan of Kalat, but in recent times the connection has almost entirely ceased. The State is under the control of the Political Agent in Kalat.

General. — The most numerous races in Balfichistan are the Brahiii, Pathan and Baloch, 554,800. The Brahuis occupy the centre of the country stretching through Chagai to meet the Baloch of Western Sanjrani, and southwards to the Lasis and the Baloch of Makran. The Pathans are chiefly contained within British and administered territory. The Baloch are distributed through the southern regions in the Marri and Bugti country, the Kachhi plain, the Nasirabad tahsil, the Dombki, Umrani, and Kaheri country, and Makran. The Lasis (27,800), are almost wholly confined to Las Bela, the term Lasi being of modern invention. The other inhabitants are either scattered, as. the Chuttas and Saiads, or are subject races and occupational groups such as the Jat cultivators of the Kachhi plain, the Dehwar cultivators of the uplands, the Darzadahs and Naqibs of Makran, and the Ghulams who are of servile origin. There are also indigenous Hindus (15,000) living under the protection of the tribes and carrying on the trade of the country.

Religion and Instruction.— The religion of the native population is cither Mussulman, in general of the Sunni sect, or Hindu. The Mussul- mans numbered (1911) 782,648 ; Hindus, 37,602 ; Christians, 5,085 ; Sikhs, 8,390 ; others, 978. At the close of 1919-20 there were 76 Government and aided and unaided schools in the province ; 7 of these were for girls. Of the 3,634 pupils 605 were girls. Nearly half the pupils were Hindus, children of men from Sind and the Panjab in trade or in Government service. Besides these there were 201 private schools with 2,826 pupils.

Production and Industry.— The country consists largely of barren mountains, deserts and stony plains ; its climate is subject to the extremes of heat and cold, and the rainfall is uncertain and scanty. Here and there the mountains are tree-clad, and cultivation is carried on wherever water is found. An attempt is being made to bud the wild olive trees of the country with buds from cultivated European olives. If the experiment is successful, an olive-oil industry may be subsequently established. The agricultural products are wheat, barley, millet, lucerne, rice,