Although Quetta is the capital of Balochistan province (then British Baluchistan), it has always had a sizable population of Pathans from Afghanistan to the west and from the Northwest Frontier Province to the north. Many Pathan tribes have been settled in Balochistan for centuries, just as Baluchi tribes are settled to the east in Sindh. The movement of different people throughout the region is integral to the historical and cultural development of the region.
Today Pathans, especially with the influx of refugees from Afghanistan, are apparently the majority ethnic population in Quetta. Although they come from different Pathan tribes, this can lead to frictions with local Balochi tribes also settled in the city and province.