Shaal Pir Baba

The old name of Quetta was "kwatta".The word "kwatta" is a pashto word meaning "a mound of Earth" and the city was given this name because the old Quetta city fort was situated over a large mound of earth.During the time of Afghan ruler Ahmed Shah Abdali , the city was renamed " Shalkot ",which has gradually transformed into the modern day name of the city "Quetta".Khwaja Naqruddin Moudood Chishti migerated to Quetta 600 years ago from Chisht Afganistan and stayed near this fort.And was buried here after his death whose shrine lies close to Quetta Fort. The powerful Khans of Kalat held the fort from 1730. In 1828 the first westerner to visit Quetta described it as a mud-walled fort surrounded by 300 mud houses. Although occupied briefly by the British during the First Afghan War in 1839, it was not until 1876 that Quetta came under permanent British control and Robert Sandeman was made political agent in Baluchistan.That area is now part of the military Chaowni.Because Quetta was once called "Shalkot" Khwaja Naqruddin got the name of Shalpir baba.The locals also know him as "nogazza baba"(meaning 9 yards long) because of the length of his grave.Khwaja Naqruddin's exact date of death is not known but his brother Khwaja Ibrahim Yukpasi 's date of birth is 1359 C.E and date of death is 1455C.E, keeping that in mind Khwaja Naqruddin's duration of life is taken to be 96–97 years.His other brother Khwaja Nizamuddin Ali 's date of birth is 1308C.E and date of death is 1405 C.E. Khwaja Naqruddin's son Khwaja Wali Kirani Moudoodi Chishti was laid to rest at kirani Quetta . The Descendents of Khwaja Wali Kirani are said to have rendered some services during the first Afghan war, their leading man at that time being one Mubarak Shah.The Chishti Syed 's in the Kirani Tehsil claim as their ancestors This article is important because Khwaja Nasratuddin is single handedly responssible for the flourishing of the Moudodi Syed's in Balochistan and Sindh Pakistan . Khwaja Nasratuddin Shall Piran 2008 This article is based on district gazetteers of Balouchistan.¹