Panjgur: The City of Dates
Panjgur is a district of Balochistan with a population of around 500,000. Located in the west of Balochistan in Makran, It’s a desert area with hot summer and cold windy winters.
The district headquarter is Chitkan and it has sixteen union councils. Furthermore, the district is administratively subdivided into three tehsils: Paroom, Panjgur, and Gichk. The city is divided into two parts by the Rakshan river which flows through the city, the northern part and the southern part.
Panjgur is a city with an ancient history and is extremely rich in beautiful places including notable productions. In addition, the city begins a history over Abu Asaq Al Astakari who is a geographer from Persepolis.
Astakari acknowledges that Makran was vast but a desert state. He said Kannazbun (Panjgur) was the capital of the state. The people were rich traders, men of their words, enemies of fraud, generous and hospitable, said Al Idris who was a Moroccan geographer, and wrote his own history.
It was the time of the 10th century and over time people misread and rendered the name into different forms like Kirbun, Kirbuz, Firabuz, and Kinarbur. But all these names were referring to Panjgur. All writers were in agreement of it as being a rich and cultured city Before these geographers in the book ‘Chachnama‘ which was written by an unknown Arab.
Kinarbur (Panjgur) name was also mentioned. The book is about the conquest of Sindh in which it was explained how King Chach traveled via Armabel (Lesbella) and across the central Makran range to establish his authority over its farthest reaches.
Chach took control of the ancient fortress of Kinarbur and Archaic geography believed that the crumbling mud-brick walls of the fortress in the Khudabadan suburb of Panjgur were rebuilt on the order of Chach. He did many more things there.
Panjgur has an interesting name. It is an Iranian language word “Panj” means five and “gur” means graves.
Due to the inability to speak the p and g sound the Arab writer of Chachnama turned the name into Kanazbur which was followed by all other writers. After centuries, going through many tongues the name eventually turned around to become Panjgur. The name was kept after the five Islamic heroes who came to convert the people of Panjgur to Islam. They died around the city and that’s why the city name is Panjgur (the five graves).
Panjgur is a really beautiful city with many beautiful places. There are many Monuments in Panjgur such as the Bab-e-Baloch monument which leads the gateway to the city and Shaheed Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti monument, Tablighi Markaz, Shaheed Javid, and Chakar-e-Azam, etc.
The Rakshan river rises at the Nidoki pass, southwest of Shireza, Washuk, Balochistan. The river is called Nag River. The river flows right through the city and ends near the Iran border. The river is really attractive and surrounded by palm trees.
Not far south of Panjgur Airport, there is a lovely oasis of Pir Umar Jan with its tinkling rill, emerald ponds, palm, and unpretentious cubicle of the tomb. Pir Umar Jan is supposed to be one of the five Islamic heroes. There are many other beautiful places in Panjgur and picnic points such as Saradok, Paroom-e-kap, Dombaan, etc.
Panjgur is famous for various things. The most famous thing in Panjgur is its dates. Panjgur annually produces almost 50% of the dates all around Pakistan. The district is named the city of dates because It’s surrounded by dates palms.
The dates of Panjgur are known as the tastiest dates all over Pakistan. The city supplies dates to the entire Balochistan.
Panjgur dates are highly regarded for their sweet taste, soft texture, and large size.
The main varieties of dates produced in Panjgur include Aseel, Karbalaee, Begum Jangi, and Barhi. These dates are grown in the region’s hot and dry climate, which provides optimal conditions for their cultivation.
Panjgur dates are not only popular in Pakistan but are also exported to various countries around the world.
Panjgur also produces many other fruits. Panjgur produces many various types of grapes with different tastes. The district also produces pomegranates with multiple tastes and abundant types of figs.
However, Panjgur is a great city. To say it or not but Panjgur can be one of the very important districts of Balochistan. It is a city with a great and ancient history, with profuse beautiful places and many kinds of other famous things.
Washbood, Panjgur, Balochistan