Orchards South of Quetta: What an NGO in Mastung Can Do for Your Family

Mastung lies in a wide valley a short drive south of Quetta, known for its apple, grape and apricot orchards and for the old bazaar of its town. Because it is close to the provincial capital, many Mastung men commute to Quetta for work, while others farm, keep livestock or drive along the highways that run south to Kalat and west to Nushki. Yet the valley’s water is running short, jobs are few, and many families live on very little. People searching for an NGO in Mastung usually want help with food, a debt, a medical bill, or a child’s education.

Requests from Mastung are accepted by Peace and Humanity Welfare Organization (PHWO), which works from its one office in Larkana, Sindh, and keeps no branch, staff member or centre in Mastung, or in Quetta either. Contact is by website, Message PHWO in a free PHWO account, or volunteer, and it is free. Each case gets a volunteer’s review. Aid is possible only after the facts are confirmed and the need proves answerable, and the outcome is never promised.

Mastung's population

Mastung District had 313,271 people in the 2023 Census on 3,308 square kilometres (census district table published by PBS). Just under 13 percent were town dwellers; Mastung homes held 7.1 people each on average. Mastung sub-division, around the town, held 162,319 people, a quarter of them urban. Brahui is the most widely spoken mother tongue, with Balochi and Pashto also present (PBS language table).

Water and the orchards

Mastung’s fruit depends on tubewells, springs and the old karez channels. As groundwater has dropped across the Quetta valley region, wells must go deeper and pumping costs rise. Orchards that were once profitable now struggle, and some have dried out completely. Small growers who take advances from fruit traders can end up owing more than the harvest brings, especially after a late frost or a hailstorm.

If orchard losses or water costs have pushed your family into debt, describe it in Request help: what you grow, what went wrong, what is owed and to whom. Household food, treatment bills, fees, rent and outstanding loans are all legitimate things to raise.

Commuters and daily-wage workers

Many men from Mastung travel daily to Quetta for construction, shop work, driving or security jobs. This work is often temporary, and pay can stop without notice. A road accident on the busy Quetta road, or a long illness, can leave a household with no earner and heavy bills.

Students from Mastung also commute to Quetta’s colleges and universities. Fees, transport and the lack of a laptop can make studying very hard. A device for study or online work is one of the things PHWO is asked for most. Include your enrolment proof. Young women in Mastung who cannot travel daily to Quetta may find that a laptop and an online course let them keep learning from home; if that is your situation, say so in the request. Training in digital and vocational skills is described under Programmes.

How to send your request

1. Fill in the web form or message PHWO from your free PHWO account.
2. Explain your situation in Brahui, Balochi, Pashto or Urdu.
3. Add a live photo of yourself and any papers you have, like prescriptions, a college challan or a note of the loan.
4. Answer if a volunteer calls with questions.

Do not pay anyone for help with a PHWO request. All services are free, and a genuine volunteer will never ask you for a fee, a gift or a share of any support you receive.

Legal questions in Mastung

Mastung town holds the district’s sessions and family courts, and because Quetta is so near, appeals to the provincial high court involve only a short trip. Orchard land, water turns and inheritance cause many disputes, alongside family matters of dower, maintenance, khula and custody.

Mastung residents can post their papers to Free legal aid; a lawyer volunteering time will reply with the choices open to them. No FIR is required. Children’s cases and those with an early hearing are prioritised. Whether a volunteer can argue the case before the judge is uncertain. The Mastung bar association is another place to ask.

Families affected by violence

Mastung has suffered attacks in past years that took many lives and left families without fathers and sons. Official compensation schemes exist, but families often still face long-term needs: school fees for orphaned children, treatment for the injured, and debts. Anyone in such circumstances can apply to PHWO in the same way as other families, and may also ask Free legal aid for advice on succession and guardianship.

Public services in Mastung

• Mastung’s district hospital, with Quetta’s teaching hospitals close by for referrals.
• Police on 15; Levies outside the town.
• Mastung women may test BISP eligibility by texting the CNIC to 8171 (bisp.gov.pk).
• Orchard frost, snow and flood emergencies: provincial disaster authority at pdma.gob.pk.
• Other government offices through balochistan.gov.pk.

Supporting others from Mastung

Mastung orchard owners, traders and families living in Quetta, Karachi or overseas may Donate cash or goods, or take on one checked family through Sponsor a case. All Zakat and Sadaqah reach the families intended. Students, teachers and lawyers can register as a Volunteer, earning a certificate, a letter of appreciation and an experience letter.

Public services in Mastung you can also use

• District and Sessions Courts MastungCivil, criminal and family cases
• District Bar Association MastungReferral to advocates
• District Headquarters Hospital MastungGovernment hospital
• Police / LeviesDial 15
• BISP office MastungSMS CNIC to 8171
• PDMA BalochistanDisaster relief
• Government of BalochistanProvincial departments

These are public or independent services, listed to help you. They are not part of PHWO.

Frequently asked questions