“Quetta was settled on karezez (canals) and springs”, says Faiz Muhammad Kakar, the Chief of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Balochistan Chapter. And the source for the life-giving water that flowed in those canals and springs was Hanna lake, which is a 25-minute drive from the city itself. Kakar said the lake served to be the main source of drinking water and agriculture cultivation in Quetta, the mountain-ringed city.

In 1894, the British colonial rulers constructed Hanna lake with the objective of recharging the ancient canal-based irrigation system and to ensure a flow of water from springs in the surrounding mountains of Quetta. At that time there was no concept of tubewells, and wells had to be dug to provide water for both drinking and agricultural use.

But this is only one of the lake’s claims to fame. Surrounded by mountains, Hanna lake is also a tourist spot for locals, and this year has seen an increase in their numbers. One reason for this is that torrential rains increased the water level in the lake, allowing for a greater number of activities. Every Sunday a large number of people, especially women and children, throng this spot to enjoy the cool, fresh air and idyllic atmosphere. Families take boats out to the island in the centre of the lake, which is used as a picnic spot. The other reason is that the violence that plagues Quetta leaves them with few other options for safe entertainment.

“Hanna lake is the only tourist point where we can roam peacefully and without any fear,” said Shaista Kakara who was visiting the lake along with her family members. “We cannot move in the city as there are blasts and targeted killings just about every day,” she said sadly.

Clearly, many others share her opinion. Long queues of tourists can be witnessed waiting for their turn to sit in a boat and be rowed out to the lake. “The tourist crowds are back now,” says a pleased Muhammad Riaz, who works in the hotel located at the edge of the lake. According to Riaz, around two to 3,000 people visit the lake every Sunday. Catering to them is a lakeside restaurant shaded by pine trees. From this restaurant one can sit and enjoy the beautiful views of the lake and its surrounding mountains.

There are other visitors however, who no longer come this way. Migratory birds from Russian Siberia used to arrive at the lake every winter up until the late 1980s. The birds included Russian ducks, pelicans and also flamingos, among many others. However, those beautiful feathered visitors are now gone, remaining only in the memory of older locals. “Now, the migratory birds have changed their route,” Faiz Kakar said. “The presence of beautiful birds from Siberia used to beautify the lake and attract tourists. But that is no more the case,” he said.

In fact, the herds of livestock that used to frequent this area are also now long gone. Range land around the lake used to provide natural grass livestock in the area. Unfortunately, when the lake started to dry up, the range land was also severely affected.

This year’s rains notwithstanding, nine years of drought have taken their toll on Balochistan, and on the lake itself.

“This lake has silted up to about 10 to 20 feet,” Kakar said. No one has made any moves towards preventing this either, even though such measures would not be impossible. There has been no proper mechanism in place for the protection of the lake, although this could have been easily avoided. The simple measure of making check dams in order to grow crops in the surrounding mountains could have both provided food and also prevented the silt from flowing into the lake.

British rulers constructed the lake to resolve the problem of scarcity of water and provide an opportunity to the people to enjoy the tourist point. However, successive governments, whether civilian or military, have completely failed to protect this national asset. Even today, the road leading to Hanna lake is in terrible condition. “They are charging fees for everything but are unable to even construct this small portion of road,” said Rana Asif, a tourist from Punjab.

It is a reflection of the volatile situation in Pakistan’s physically largest and most deprived province that security in and around the Hanna lake — located as it is in the Quetta cantonment area — is very tight. Visitors and tourists are closely watched by the intelligence people deployed there. I myself was also stopped by an intelligence man for taking photographs of the lake. After showing my press card, I was allowed to keep clicking. Most others aren’t as lucky.

It is ironic that the British, who were foreign rulers, constructed so many things that, if preserved properly, could have been of use to the people of this country. To do so would require vision and dedication, and sadly those are qualities that have long since dried up. Much like Hanna lake eventually will.