Issues — Rakhshan Division

Districts: Kharan, Chagai, Nushki, Washuk
Local Issues & Government Response

Rakhshan Division has four districts. Below are the major local issues in each district and how the government is responding.

Kharan District

Major issues and challenges in Kharan District are as follows:

1. Education and Healthcare Challenges

Condition of education and healthcare services is very low in Kharan District. Its literacy stands at 41.0% with significant gender disparities, while many schools lack basic facilities.

Number of hospitals and the doctor-to-patient ratio is also very low compared to its population. Kharan’s hospitals also lack life-saving medicines for chronic diseases.

Government response: The Government of Balochistan has initiated an up-gradation project for DHQ Kharan. Government is also working to cover the gender disparity gap in the district in terms of school enrollment and literacy rate.

2. Security Issues

Due to its proximity to border areas, Kharan District has remained challenging on the security front. Some suicide bombing incidents were also reported over the years. The region has a vast range of natural resources; therefore, the government is working to keep the region safe.

Government response:

  • Intelligence-based operations under Fitna-ul-Hindustan operation
  • Prime Minister approval of a security corridor in Rakhshan Division by deploying levies and police along mines in the region

3. Shortage of Clean Drinking Water

Kharan faces a persistent shortage of clean drinking water due to recurrent droughts that have depleted groundwater and dried springs and traditional sources. Residents often rely on distant or expensive tanker supplies and face quality concerns with available sources.

Government response: The Balochistan government has prioritized potable water access via emergency measures, solar-powered tube wells, and water supply schemes.

4. Climate Issues

Kharan ranks among Pakistan’s most drought-affected districts. Multi-year drought cycles cause groundwater depletion, drying of springs/karezes, failed rain-fed crops, mass livestock deaths, and displacement. Climate change is projected to increase drought risk through higher temperatures, reduced winter rainfall, more frequent heatwaves, and accelerated evaporation.

Chagai District

Education

Chagai District faces a severe education crisis. According to the 2023 Census, the overall literacy rate stands at only 33.15%. The district has numerous government schools, but a large majority lack basic facilities: approximately 83% have no drinking water, 88% lack electricity, and 80% have no functional toilets.

Government response: The Balochistan government has allocated funds for school rehabilitation and teacher recruitment. Local representatives have reopened dozens of closed schools. Reko Diq Mining Company (RDMC), under its Community Investment Programme, has established primary schools and supported education initiatives in remote villages.

Health

Healthcare access is constrained by limited facilities, staff shortages, and geographic isolation. The main facility is Prince Fahad DHQ Hospital in Dalbandin, which serves a large catchment population. Common issues include high rates of water-borne diseases and kidney problems linked to saline water.

Government response: Local representatives have increased medicine quotas at Prince Fahad DHQ Hospital in Dalbandin. RDMC has established multiple community health clinics focused on maternal and child health, along with mobile health units serving remote villages. Government also allocated a special budget for Prince Fahad Hospital.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure remains underdeveloped relative to the district’s vast size (one of Pakistan’s largest by area). Road density is very low (around 0.02 km/km²), with many routes unpaved, eroded, or poorly maintained, limiting connectivity between settlements and to mining sites. Electricity coverage is better in urban centers but weak in rural areas, where many households rely on off-grid solar or firewood.

Government response: The Balochistan government has funded road projects, electrification schemes (including grid stations and solar systems), and water supply schemes. RDMC has installed solar-powered reverse osmosis (RO) water plants. Federal Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) allocations support roads, power, and water projects across Balochistan.

Security

Chagai experiences ongoing security challenges linked to militancy. Attacks have targeted mining sites, including the killing of 10 people at a copper-gold project in a recent year. The district’s border location with Afghanistan and Iran, sparse population, and strategic mining assets (Saindak and Reko Diq) contribute to its vulnerability. Security forces conduct regular intelligence-based operations against militants.

Government response: Security forces continue intelligence-based operations against militants to address ongoing threats in the district.

Nushki District

Education

Nushki faces significant educational challenges, particularly for girls. The 2023 Census shows an overall literacy rate of about 57% (male 69%, female 44%). Many girls stop education after primary level due to limited girls’ schools, long distances, and cultural barriers. Schools often lack basic facilities, and secondary education opportunities remain limited in rural areas.

Government response: The Balochistan government and local administration have supported school improvements, including solarization of government schools and repair/renovation works. Local monitoring and development packages have also targeted educational infrastructure.

Health

Healthcare services are limited. The DHQ Hospital in Nushki has historically faced shortages of staff, medicines, functional equipment, and basic facilities. Remote areas lack proper health units, forcing residents to travel long distances. Drought and water scarcity contribute to water-borne diseases.

Government response: Earlier projects improved the DHQ Hospital through construction of an emergency/trauma centre, extension of the labour room, residential quarters for staff, solar systems, and medical equipment. District authorities continue monitoring and efforts to improve staffing and service delivery.

Infrastructure

Nushki suffers from poor road connectivity, unreliable electricity, and severe water scarcity. Many rural communities rely on saline or distant water sources, and drought has worsened the situation in areas such as Daak and Keshangi. Roads are often unpaved or poorly maintained, and basic urban services remain inadequate.

Government response: District administration regularly inspects and accelerates water supply schemes under the Balochistan Social Development Initiative (BSDI), insisting on solar systems and timely completion. Multiple solar-powered water supply schemes have been approved or are underway for various villages.

Security

Nushki experiences recurring security challenges linked to Baloch militant groups. Incidents include attacks on security forces, police stations, mineral transport vehicles, highways, and civilians. There have been ambushes, suicide attacks, temporary seizures of installations, and clashes requiring multi-day security operations.

Government response: Security forces conduct regular intelligence-based operations against militants, neutralizing terrorists and recovering weapons. After major attacks, clearance and search operations are launched, with additional personnel deployed.

Washuk District

Education

Washuk has one of the lowest education indicators in Balochistan. The district ranks near the bottom nationally for education quality and infrastructure. There is a severe shortage of girls’ high schools, chronic teacher shortages and absenteeism, lack of science labs and basic facilities, and high rates of out-of-school children, especially girls after primary level.

Government response: Under the Balochistan Special Development Initiative (BSDI), funds have been allocated for the uplift, repair and renovation of schools and the public library in Washuk. Provincial education reforms and broader World Bank-supported projects aim to increase enrolment and improve learning outcomes across Balochistan, including remote districts like Washuk.

Health

Healthcare access is extremely limited. The District Headquarters Hospital and Rural Health Centres suffer from staff shortages, irregular medicine supplies, and weak infrastructure. Reports of medicine misappropriation have further reduced availability of essential drugs.

Government response: BSDI projects include solarization of hospitals and RHCs (such as Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Civil Hospital in Basima and RHC Naag), construction or improvement of water supply and boundary walls at health facilities, and upgrades to BHUs.

Infrastructure

Washuk is vast, sparsely populated and largely desert/mountainous, with poor road connectivity, limited and unreliable electricity, and chronic water scarcity. Clean drinking water is a major problem; many communities depend on distant or saline sources. Basic urban services in towns such as Washuk, Basima and Mashkel remain underdeveloped.

Government response: Significant investment is underway through BSDI (over 50 projects worth hundreds of millions of rupees). These include multiple solar-powered water supply schemes and RO plants, solar street lights, transformers, road expansion and black-topping projects, flood protection works, and solarization of public facilities.

Security

Washuk experiences recurrent militant activity due to its remote location and proximity to the Iran border. Incidents include attacks on security posts and convoys, targeting of labourers from other provinces (e.g. the July 2026 killing of five workers from Punjab in Mashkel), ambushes on CPEC-related routes, and temporary seizures of posts. Security forces conduct regular clearance and intelligence-based operations.

Government response: Security forces carry out ongoing operations against militants, including search and clearance actions after attacks. Provincial leadership strongly condemns incidents targeting civilians and vows strict action. Additional deployments and coordinated counter-terrorism efforts continue across Washuk and neighboring districts to restore and maintain security.

References

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