Gazg Tehsil


Gazg, is a sub-tehsil of Kalat District in central Balochistan, Pakistan. Spanning an area of approximately, it is the smallest tehsil in the district by population. According to the 2023 national census, Gazg is home to 8,286 residents, dispersed across 85 exclusively rural settlements.
Situated at an elevation exceeding, the tehsil experiences a predominantly arid highland climate, characterised by limited and irregular precipitation as well as marked seasonal temperature variation.

Geography

Gazg lies approximately east of Kalat and the N-25 National Highway, encompassing roughly. It is bordered by Kalat to the west, Johan to the north, Sanni to the east, and Zehri to the south
The landscape is predominantly mountainous, with elevations ranging from to over. It features arid terrain punctuated by seasonal watercourses and xerophytic vegetation, such as Artemisia-Haloxylon shrub steppe, drought-resistant trees, and ephemeral flora adapted to dry conditions.

Climate

As part of highland Balochistan, Gazg has an arid to semi arid climate, marked by low erratic rainfall. Kalat District is among the coldest regions in Pakistan, with summer peak temperatures averaging around in July. Droughts occur frequently, typically every three to four years.
Climatically, the region falls within a semi-arid continental Mediterranean zone. Annual rainfall varies between and, with winter precipitation generally more significant than summer rainfall. Snowfall is common in winter, with temperatures often dropping below. One of the most severe droughts occurred in 2009, when annual rainfall declined to as low as, persisting over five consecutive years.

Demographics

Population

Gazg's population of 8,286 people is spread across 1,274 households. The overall literacy rate stands at 18.75% with notable gender gap: 26.84% among men and just 9.25% among women. These figures reflect ongoing challenges in access to education, particularly for girls and women in rural areas.

Languages

is the predominant language in the sub-tehsil, spoken by approximately 5,446 individual. Balochi is the second most spoken language, with 2,817 speakers. A small portion of the population speaks other local languages.