New Kahan – Gaza Strip of Quetta
Author: Naznain Baloch
New Kahan, an area on the outskirts of Quetta, Balochistan, an area where about 10,000 families live. The remarkable Baloch Tribe that lives in New Kahan is Marri tribe and there was no any permanent settlement of any other tribe before inhabitation of marris in this area. The Majority of Population is poor and the main source of income is farming or working as shopkeepers and labourer.
Balochistan has trillions of dollars’ worth of Gold, natural gas, Petroleum (mostly in marri Area Kohlu) and other resources, which have been mercilessly exploited by the state but like other areas of Balochistan, residents of New Kahan are also deprived of employment and other basic facilities of life like clean drinking water, Electricity, schools and hospital.
The name, ‘New Kahan’ was given to the area when Marri tribe returned back to Balochistan from Afghanistan in early 90’s. The area was named after Kahan, an area situated in Kohlu district of Balochistan, where Marri tribe has been living for centuries.
Kahan is also famous for being the native village of Baloch leader Nawab Khair Baksh Marri. In 1973, when Zulfikar Ali Butto dismissed the Balochistan government and begin perilous military operation in entire Balochistan, hundreds of people were killed and arrested in Kahan too. As a result large number of Baloch people took to the Mountains to defend their territory, tradition and culture that has been part of their lives for centuries. After operation, in 1978 hundreds of Marri Baloch along with their Leader Nawab khair baksh Marri and his Ideological colleagues migrated to Afghanistan.
The Marris returned back from Afghanistan in 1992 and settled in western bypass near Koh-e-Chiltan mountains in Quetta.
Pakistani military operation is currently underway in different areas of Balochistan including new Kahan on large scale. Marri tribe is again under aggression of Pakistani forces. Thousands of people have been abducted and hundreds of mutilated bodies found dumped and scores of houses have been burnt. The New Kahan has completely been converted in to paramilitary camp, where on daily bases security forces are killing and abducting civilians. The ongoing heavy military operations have forced the residents of New Kahan to migrate to other cities. About 50% of population has migrated from New Kahan to other areas. This forced migration of Baloch has been happening since the forced annexation of Balochistan by Pakistan in 1948.
Israeli forces conduct airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, burn down homes, destroy buildings and killed thousands of Palestinians. Israel largely control Gaza’s water supply (does not give water to the Palestinians rather sell it to them at hefty price) and electricity. In a similar way, New Kahan is under full control of Pakistani military and all basic facilities including drinking water and electricity are controlled. Army is destroying farm lands, burning homes, abducting children and women on daily basis in New Kahan. Due to the atrocities, the residents have been reduced to beg for their food.
Martyrs graveyard (Shuhda-e-Balochistan Qabristan) is also in New Kahan, The same graveyard where Nawab Khair Baksh Marri, his wife and hundreds of other Baloch Martyrs are buried.
After the burial of Nawab Khair baksh Marri’s wife Pakistani forces raided New Kahan at mid night and carried out house to house search operation. Pakistani forces tortured women and children during the search operation and forced them to stay out of their houses for several hours in the freezing weather.
Recently, on 9th September 2018 another vicious act was carried out by the forces as they couldn’t even bear the graves of Baloch martyrs.
Mama Qadeer Baloch vice chairman of VBMP along with Baloch activists visited the Martyrs graveyard and shared a grim video of the situation. The desecrated condition of graveyard is giving a reflection of the atrocities the people of New Khan have been experiencing for years.
The Pakistani Army and QDA mafia have started demolishing the houses of marri Baloch and Martyrs graveyard in New Kahan, many of houses have already been demolished in the name of development.
The atrocities inflicted on the people of Bengal by Pakistan during Bangladesh’s Independence War in 1971 are being repeated in Balochistan. Pakistan is systematically committing genocide in New Kahan and all other parts of Balochistan to maintain its illegal occupation over Baloch land. It is high time that the united efforts must be made to help the Baloch nation to get rid of this miserable situation. All human rights proponents, social media activists and internationall human rights bodies should play their due role and become voice of the suppressed people of New Kahan.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Balochistan Post or any of its editors.