Quetta

Quetta is the capital and largest city of Balochistan, Pakistan, set at about 1,680 metres in a high-altitude valley ringed by barren mountains. Its position near the Afghan border and the historic Bolan Pass has long made it a trade and military crossroads between South Asia and Central Asia.

The city is known as the 'Fruit Garden of Pakistan' for its orchards of apples, grapes, pomegranates and cherries, along with a busy trade in dried fruit. Landmarks include Hanna Lake, the mountain scenery of Urak Valley, Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park and the colonial-era Quetta Railway Station.

Jinnah Road and its surrounding bazaars, such as Kandahari Bazaar and Liaquat Bazaar, form the commercial centre, while areas like Satellite Town and Samungli offer a more residential feel. The local food scene features Sajji, khaddi kabab and lamb karahi alongside tea houses and fruit stalls.

Quetta's role as a gateway for Pakistan-Afghanistan trade, its universities and institutions such as the University of Balochistan and BUITEMS, and the Quetta Gladiators cricket team give the city regional economic and cultural importance.

Leisure and business travellers alike use Quetta as a base for the province's mining, agriculture and border trade, with the surrounding valleys, orchards and historic passes providing distinctive reasons to visit.