State Harassment of Residents of New Kahan is Unacceptable: BYC

QUETTA: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has condemned the ongoing harassment of residents in the New Kahan area of Quetta by state institutions and regional collaborators.

According to the committee, these authorities have been using various tactics to evict the local population, seize their land, and make their lives intolerable.

Residents of New Kahan have long faced difficult living conditions, as the area remains the only part of Quetta city without access to basic facilities such as roads, gas, electricity, or educational institutions. Despite these hardships, the harassment of the local population has continued, with numerous attempts to forcibly remove them from their homes.

In recent weeks, the Quetta Development Authority (QDA) has escalated its pressure on the residents, reportedly using various methods to establish control over the land. Alongside this, Sarfraz Bugti’s private militia, often referred to as the “Death Squad” or “Peace Committee,” has been instilling fear among the community, spreading terror throughout the area.

According to sources, the Director General of QDA, SDO Kaleem Shah, and Rahim Khalji have been regularly intimidating locals with air shootings and threats to leave their homes.

In its statement, the BYC emphasised that New Kahan is not just another piece of land for the authorities and Land Mafia, it holds deep cultural and historical significance for the Baloch people. 

The area is home to the Baloch Martyrs’ Graveyard, the Jirga hall of Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, and his final resting place. The Baloch consider it an integral part of their collective memory, and any attempt to displace its residents is seen as a direct attack on their heritage.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has voiced its firm opposition to these actions, declaring them unacceptable and reprehensible. The committee has also expressed full support for the residents of New Kahan, stressing that the local population has the right to resist these unlawful tactics and protect their land.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has vowed to stand alongside the residents and has called for solidarity from the Baloch Nation to confront the ongoing state oppression against residents of New Kahan.