Jhall Magsi district is located on a very important strategic position. It has important markets on its different sides. Khuzdar on the west Shahdadkot (Sindh) on the south and Jacobabad (Sindh). These markets are just 150 to 200 km. from the district headquarters of Jhall Magsi. Even the market of Quetta is just 325 km. from the district headquarters. But nothing is exported to these markets due to unawareness and poor links of farmers and non availability of road, specially to the smaller villages. Jhall Magsi district links different parts of Balochistan with Sindh. It has borders with Khuzdar, Jaffarabad, Nasirabad, Bolan and Larkana (Sindh). Khuzdar is linked with Shahdadkot (Sindh) through Mola pass, which route goes through district Jhall Magsi, but the conditions of communication are very poor in district Jhall Magsi. No railway track passes through Jhall Magsi, neither is there any air link. The black topped road in the district is only 133 km. This road was constructed under the ‘farm to market’ scheme and links the national high way from Nutal to Gandawah, the district headquarters of Jhall Magsi. Few buses commute between Jhall Magsi, Shahdadkot and Gandawah to Jacobabad. These buses are the district’s only link with the outside world. There is no black topped road between the different towns and villages in the district, neither is any service present. Personal jeeps and motor cycles are used to travel between villages. Traditional methods of communication like camel, horse and bullock carts are also used for travelling purposes.

In 1993, district Jhall Magsi had 9.97 km black topped and 307.62 km shingle road, totalling 317.41 km of roads. However, in 1994, the total length of black topped road increased to 133.27 km and shingle road to 155.20 km, which is still quite insufficient.

Type of road in km.	National Highway	Provincial Roads	District Council	Other Agencies	Total
Metalled				133	133
Shingle		195			195
Total		195		133	328

There is no black topped road link between the village and towns within the district. Yet the district is located on a very important position. In the west, RCD highway is just at a distance of 140 km through Zahri from Gandawah, but there is no direct road link. Similarly, Khuzdar is just 4,5 hours away from Jhall Magsi. Shahdadkot could also be linked with Jhall Magsi by black topped road. Opening up of the area by means of roads would be the best guarantee for economic development of the district.

The number of transport vehicles registered in the district is low. The majority of these vehicles are tractors, which are used for agricultural purposes and transportation of food commodities. The major reason for the limited number of vehicles in the district is the poor economic condition of the district. The Department of Excise and Taxation is responsible for the registration of automobiles and collection of revenue from the owners. The office of the registration of the vehicle is at Dera Murad Jamali headquarters of the division. A limited number of buses ply from and to the two towns of the district, Jhall Magsi and Gandawah. Four buses run every day between Jacobabad and Gandawah. The same number of busses run between Jhall Magsi Shahdadkot and Jhall Magsi Usta Muhammad. The busses plying between Shahdakot and Khuzdar also cross some parts of the district. In the same manner busses running between Jacobabad and Shoran also go through part of Jhall Magsi district.

No railway track runs through the district Jhall Magsi. The nearest railway station to Gandawah is Nutal and the nearest one to Jhall Magsi is Shahdadkot. The district has no airways either.

There is no broadcasting station in the area. Inhabitants mostly listen to Khairpur Radio Station which is a high powered station. Its transmission is quite clear. Its broadcasting language is Sindhi, which everyone in the district can understand and speak. The BBC is also very popular in the area. There is no television station in the district. Shaikarpur television transmitter transmits the television signals to the area, but as the signals are very weak, television programmes are not very clear. The signals are better in summer than in winter. The inhabitants demand a separate television boaster. These demands frequently appear in daily newspapers.

Pakistan Telecommunication (PTCL) limited has provided a limited telephone network in the district . Only Gandawah, Jhall Magsi and Kot Magsi are linked with the system. There are hardly two hundred telephone connections in the district. In the past a few villages had the facilities of PCOs, but these were disconnected due to non-payment. The district headquarters is not connected yet on NWD. However, the work on the laying of cable links in town and the construction of the building for direct telephones have been completed. It is expected that the district shall be directly linked with the rest of the country from June 1997 onwards.

Jhall Magsi district has a limited number of post offices. They are located in Jhall Magsi, Gandawah and Kot Magsi. In addition, there are experimental sub post offices in a few villages. No other postal services, like courier, etc., exist in the district.

No banking/financial institution exists in the district at present. There was a branch of UBL at Gandawah, but it was closed for unknown reasons.

The process of providing electricity to Jhall Magsi started in 1990. At present, there are only three grid stations in the district. Up to 1993, only three towns were electrified, from 1993 to 1996 thirteen more villages were electrified. Till 1993, less than 5 percent of the district population had access to electricity. The percentage was raised roughly to fifteen in 1996. Gandawah, Jhall Magsi, Kot Magsi, Shambani, Safrani, Sarghani, Noshara and Fathpur are electrified. WAPDA, the authority responsible for electricity supply, is stationed at Usta Muhammad.

The district Jhall Magsi has no access to gas. Neither does Sui Southern Gas Company supply gas in liquid form. According to notables a survey was carried out in this regard, but the results are not known.

There are only three rest houses in the district, at Jhall Magsi, Kotra and Pir Chatta.

As indicated in the table below, the position in the district Jhall Magsi regarding energy, transport and communication is very poor. There are a few road links maintained by the provincial government. The federal government provides electricity through WAPDA. Transport is owned and managed by the private sector.

Coverage Economic Infrastructure Services	Local Govt.	Prov. Govt.	Fed. Govt.	NGO	InternatDonor	Private Entr.
Road works		xxx
Transport (buses)						xxx
Railway
Airway
Radio & Television
Banking/Financial Institutions
Electricity			Xxx
Gas
Rest houses		xxx

Legend: - no involvement

The district’s situation regarding economic infrastructure and communications clearly presents a poor picture. The district has 133 km of black topped road: no good roads exist between towns and villages. All other sectors related to the economic infrastructure are either non-existent or have nominal existence. Consequently the economic condition of the district is poor. Road linkages are important for economic growth, but will also have a positive effect on the mobility of women, a growing concern in relation to the wish to bring women in the mainstream of development.

Lack of banking facilities further places the district at a disadvantage, as men and women do not have access to loans etc. to put their foot into small business as income generating activities.

The fact that less than 5 percent of the population has access to electricity is also a serious concern which needs to be addressed more intensively, if the uplift of the district is to be set in the right direction.

One only can suggest rapid development regarding economic infrastructure. The current poor position of economic infrastructure is putting this already financially poor district in a very awkward position.

Back to Jhall Magsi