Nine-Day Protest in Kech Over Forced Occupation of Homes by Pakistani Forces

QUETTA: Residents of the Mand Maher area in Kech district have been protesting for the past nine days, blocking roads in demand for the immediate withdrawal of Pakistani forces from their homes, which have been under occupation for five years.

The protest, led by local residents of Mehr, follows a long-standing issue where Pakistani Frontier Corps (FC) personnel have taken control of civilian homes in the area. The demonstrators have made it clear that they want the forces to vacate the homes they have occupied in the village of Maher, where locals say they have been living under military occupation since 2020.

Efforts to resolve the standoff through negotiations have so far failed.

Representatives from the district administration and FC Brigadier in Tump attempted to engage with the protest committee, initially resorting to intimidation tactics. However, when the residents stood firm in their demands, the local administration requested a six-month delay to address the issue.

This proposal was swiftly rejected by the Mehr protest committee.

In response, Rahima Jalal, a representative of the district administration, offered a new round of talks, assuring that the demands would be met within a month. The residents, however, placed a condition on further negotiations, requesting that current and former local representatives, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kech, and the Kech Bar Association be included as witnesses to ensure transparency in the discussions.

The protesters expressed frustration at having tolerated military forces occupying their homes for five years. “We have hosted the forces as ‘guests’ long enough,” one local resident said. Now, it is time for the district representatives to experience what it feels like to be in our shoes, and perhaps they should host them for a month or two.”

Like many other areas of Balochistan, villages in Maher and Tump have been subjected to military control, with forces not only occupying civilian homes but also monitoring the local population, using drone cameras to film residents, and interfering in their private lives.

The presence of forces in these communities has caused severe distress, particularly among women, who face increased intimidation and surveillance. Locals also allege that they have been blackmailed and coerced into working for the military.

The protest continues, and residents of Maher have vowed to remain on the streets until their demands are met and their homes are returned to them.