Preamble
Cholistan Desert (also locally known as Rohi) sprawls thirty kilometers from Bahawalpur, covers
an area of 16,000 km². It adjoins the Thar Desert extending over to Sindh and into India. The
word Cholistan is derived from the Turkish word Chol, which means Desert. Cholistan thus
means Land of the Desert. The people of Cholistan lead a semi-nomadic life, moving from one place
to another in search of water and fodder for their animals. The dry bed of the Hakra River runs through
the area, along which many settlements of the Indus Valley Civilisation have been found. The present
day Cholistan is a part of the ancient Hakra civilization (Hakra River), one of the oldest civilizations of
the Aryan settlers in the Indian subcontinent.
Falling in the southern Punjab, Cholistan is one of the largest deserts of the country and part of the
Great Indian Desert. The Cholistan comprises of three districts Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, and
Rahim Yar Khan. The total area of Cholistan is 66,55,360 acres. The largest area of Cholistan is
present in Bahawalpur which is 40,28,217 acres. The temperature ranges in Cholistan from 6 to 50°C.
The length of Cholistan is 480 km and width ranges from 32 to 192 km. Human population of Cholistan
is 1,55,000 where as the livestock population is 13,18,000. Table 1 shows some more facts about this
desert.
Table 1. A glance on some basic facts about Cholistan.
S # Particulars Units
1 Area 16,000 km2
2 Area spread (kms) 480 x 32-192
3 Area in acres 66,55,360
4 Bahawalnagar 10,11,200 acres
5 Bahawalpur 40,28,217 acres
6 R Y Khan 16,15,965 acres
7 Lesser Cholistan 33,00,000 acres
8 Greater Cholistan 17,55,360 acres
9 Human Population 1,55,000 heads
10 Livestock population 13,18,000 heads
11 Cholistani Cattle 6,67,000 heads
12 Camel 80,000 heads
13 Goats 2,20,000 heads
14 Sheep 3,51,000 heads
15 Temperature range 6-50ºC
16 Ground water Mostly brackish
C2
17 Latitude 28.25
18 Latitude (DMS) 28º 15’0 N
19 Longitude 70.75
20 Longitude (DMS) 70º 45’0 E
The ground water for these populations is mostly brackish. The inhabitants of Cholistan are called
Rohi and the main tribe of the camel herders is Mareecha. The camel that belongs to Mareecha tribe
is known as Mareecha breed. The other tribe which usually resides on the peripheries of the desert
adjoining to irrigated lands is called Malgade. Malgade usually keeps the Brela camel. Cholistan is the
homeland of many precious animal genetic resources i.e. camel, cattle, sheep and goat. Most of the
Cholistan is covered with wide range of nutritious and drought tolerant species of vegetation. Deep in
desert the camel mostly rely on Khar, Lana, Jand and Kareer, while in the peripheries mostly kikar is
available along the water courses and road side (Table 2).
Table 2. Vegetation available for camel in Cholistan desert.
Trees Bushes
Local Name Botanical Name Local Name Botanical Name
Kareer Capparis aphylla Khar Suaeda fruticosa
Jand Prosopis cineraria Lana Haloxylon salincornicum
Kikar Acacia nilotica Lani Salsola foetida
Mallah Zizyphus nummularia Jand Prosopis cineraria
Visit to Desert
Under the able guidance of the honorable Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, our team
visited the Cholistan desert along with our guests from the University of Kassel, Prof Dr Andreas
Burkert, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, and Prof Dr Eva Schlecht, Animal Husbandry in
the Tropics and Subtropics and Mr Mumtaz Khan Manais, the former Minister of Livestock, Govt of
the Punjab was also among the team members.
The purpose of this visit to check availability of camel herders in desert area for gathering first hand
information on the pastoral life of the herders, their socio-economic status and the role of their
livestock in food security.
Leaving Faisalabad Campus on Aug 19, 2010 (Thu) at 8 am, our team reached at Mr M Mumtaz Khan
Manias Farm at 1.00 pm. There we visited his Agro-Livestock Farm at Tiba Sultanpur, Vehari. We
saw well-fed and managed herd/flocks of the cattle, sheep, goat, deer, peacock, Angora and dancing
Nachi goats. Water buffalo also present in this farm which remains most of the time in water even they
sometimes calve in water and young one starts floating just after birth. We saw the different agriculture
machinery which was all in operation. Mr. Mumtaz Khan Manais was kind enough to extend his
traditional hospitality to our group and also presented some gifts to our international guests. Having
thanked him for his warm welcome and heart touching entertainment, we left for next destination and
reached at Islamic University Bahawalpur. Where we were warmly welcomed by Rao Abdul Qadeer
Khan and the larger family of CDA officials lead by Dr(s) Ali Raza Abbasi and Muhammad Arshad.
Cholistan Development Activities
Our day on Aug 20, 2010, started with a visit to the desert areas under management and guidance of
Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) officials. Dr Ali Rza Abbasi and Dr Muhammad Arshad 3
escorted us through the sand dunes and we entered the desert area after a traveling of 2 hour journey
near Khairpur Tameywali.
We enjoyed the beautiful scenes of desert which presented the beauty of the nature. Every where
sand and its brownish color increased the beauty of desert. The water sources available in the desert
are comprised of Toba system and water supply provided by Cholistan Development Authority and
that of PCRWR. Toba is a pond, where rain water is collected and stored after rains and camels and
other animals will gathered for drinking before stating their browsing of the day. This water is also used
by all the inhabitants of desert until it dries up. The Tobas (watering points) Jam Sar, Noor Sar, Dolu
Sar and Kala Pahar were seen. Camel concentrations were seen near all these Tobas and the herders
were waiting for this visit. Where all herders of camels, cattle and small ruminants were interviewed to
know more about them and their livestock. Newly inaugurated facilities for community livestock
housing were visited. The Director Livestock Farms, Punjab, Dr M Ashraf Mughal, was there to explain
these housings, their needs, utility and use of these structures and even their further expansion
programs in the desert. Solar Energy installations were shown which have been given to the herders
for their community as well as household uses.
This was a detail visit of their Gopas, living life, ladies were interviewed, photography of their houses,
stores, water storage, hand pumps were seen. Living history was collected and information was
gathered on certain aspects of common interests. ICDD students survey was also in mind of the
visiting Prof from the Germany. Their livestock and especially the role of camel in desert area was the
hot topic and main thrust of the proposed study including medicinal plants project on ground and the
steps to be taken for the use and welfare of their livestock.
Next visiting place was the Government Livestock Farm, Jugiat peer, where we were welcomed by Dr
Falak Sher, the Farm Superintendent. Briefing to our group, he narrated the main objective of this farm
which was to conserve the Cholistani cattle breed. For this purpose they also run a project for
Cholistani Cattle Breed Development. The total area of this Farm is 5200 acres. The soil type is sandy
and sandy loam. The quality of sub soil water is unfit for irrigation. The temperature ranges in winter
from 19 to 31°C and in summer from 33 to 50°C.
The last visiting place was Lal Suhanra National Park which is one of the largest Parks of Pakistan.
We were greeted their by the forest staff and were given a detailed tour of the Zoo at the park. We
were taken to show the feeding of Black Bangal Bucks at evening hrs. Our day ended at a cup of tea a
Wispering Hill Rest House established in 1989 which is a piece of paradise on earth. Our international
guests were very much impressed to see the cleanness, calmness, beauty and natural scene and
landscape at the rest house.
Having done from the visits, we were taken to deep desert for overnight stay. We enjoyed a lot in dark
and cool night, brightness of stars and moon with their cultural and folklore show by the local
performers.
On next morning of Aug 21, 2010 (Sat) at 9 am, the group left for visits to the remaining Tobas namely
Sohaib Wala. On our way to Drawer Fort, we visited the wool shearing center and collected the
relevant and pertinent information on wool, shearing schedule, procedure, charges, marketing and
ultimate it’s utility. Later we visited the Cholistan Livestock Project near Drawer Fort, historical
graveyards, camel ride, Drawer Fort and its remnants. It took almost full day to see these installations,
project activities, herders and their animals.
Before dark we started moving to Bahawalpur. Next day we came to University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad Campus as our guests were suppose to take more interviews of potential students for
ICDD program.4
Problems and Constraints
Squeezing lands is one of the major problems for camel production systems in Pakistan especially
Cholistan desert. The desert had already brought under cultivation and the land allotted in majority of
the cases to the influential people of the country. The Brela camel herders and other livestock keepers
were replaced and never compensated for their losses. Because of no representation in the policy
making organizations and legislatives, they couldn't raise their voice against this cruelty. The small
ruminants and cattle breeders already left the occupation of livestock husbandry but the camel herders
adapted a new way while moving long routes with their camel and traveling up to the desert of
Cholistan. The Cholistan is also squeezing in size, the land grabbing is one of the important issues
and the grazing lands are decreasing every day.
Suggestions
From scientist’s perspectives, we suggest that Camel is the animal of the future and can be an
important tool to combat the new challenges like: draught, environmental changes, global warming
and creeping desertification, threats of disease and competition on feed & water resources.
The camel milk can be instrumental for its future sustainability in the harsh and hostile ecology. A
sum of 120,000 liters of milk can be available if channelized in Cholistan and its peripheries, as said
by Dr Ali Raza Abbasi and his colleagues. The milk can be pasteurized, chilled and packed for value
addition. Many by-products can be made from camel milk and plenty of markets are available
around Cholistan and even at over the waters. Conduct of fairs and milk contests can also provoke
the camel herders to improve milk production. Value addition is another tool to make camel
production profitable i.e. kurth, sorain, ice cream, chocolates and other products can be made from
it. With the collaboration of ICDD, WHO the milk products can be made available for the school
goings to fight with malnutrition on one hand and to support camel herders on the other. Camel milk
can also be used as a tool for poverty alleviation. Work on racing ability of Mareecha breed should
be another avenue to develop Camel husbandry because there is a high demand for racing camels
at home and in the rich Gulf countries. The camel also has a good potential as meat export to the rich
Gulf countries.
With these questions in mind, we retuned to see and explore on these topics in the days to come.
These challenges are big with enough potential. We are sure that if dedications and commitments is
firm, the resources and allocations are bound to come. This will require a holistic approach on all
faucets of camel production by all players on ground with the help of Rohi people to make a difference
in their lives and also convert this future food basket into greener and greener. How early it can be
done, will depend how serious we are to bring this dream into reality
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