In southwestern Pakistani city, no place for lower-caste Hindus who raised it from ruins

Children play inside the narrow alleys of the Shanti Nagar neighborhood, Quetta, Pakistan, on October 26, 2021. (AN photo)
Short Url
Updated 02 November 2021
Follow

In southwestern Pakistani city, no place for lower-caste Hindus who raised it from ruins

  • The Lachi Baradari Hindu community moved into Shanti Nagar neighborhood of Quetta in the late 19th century
  • Neighbourhood’s population has more than doubled in past decade, over 10,000 people live on 20,000 square feet

QUETTA: Surrounded by lavish apartment blocks and homes in downtown Quetta, lower-caste Hindus who once helped the southern Pakistani city rise from ruins after a deadly earthquake have been living as if time had stopped a century ago.
The Lachi Baradari Hindu community moved into the Shanti Nagar neighborhood of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, in the late 19th century.
While poverty is chronic in Balochistan — Pakistan’s largest province in terms of land area but its most underdeveloped in terms of almost all social indicators — the cycle of deprivation in Shanti Nagar seems unbreakable.
The neighborhood’s population has more than doubled in the past decade, but homes in the area expand only vertically, with new stories built atop tiny makeshift structures. Today, over 10,000 people live in the slum which spans only 20,000 square feet. Most families live in houses no larger than 300 square feet.
Ironically, when a deadly earthquake tore down Quetta in 1935, it was the men and women of the Lachi Baradri who worked as bricklayers to rebuild the town.
“We have rebuilt the city for residents of Quetta, but today we are unable to build homes for ourselves,” community leader Chaudery Kumar Chand told Arab News.

Chand himself has added three extra floors to his home in recent years to accommodate the ever-growing families of his three married sons.
“We can’t buy additional land because the majority of our people are unemployed,” Chand said. “The provincial government has allotted land for Christians, upper-class Hindus and Sikhs, but we have never been offered any resettlement.”




A home in Shanti Nagar neighborhood, Quetta, Pakistan, on October 27, 2021. (AN photo)

Other community members shared similar stories of helplessness.
Allah Rakhi lives in a 250-square-feet house with her five children and nine grandchildren.
“My elder son with his seven children lives in the basement while I am living with my younger son and daughters,” she said.
The chronic poverty fuels social problems such as child marriage that only perpetuate the status quo. In families with limited resources, child marriage is often seen as a way to provide for daughters’ futures.
Consider Sheela Devi who was married off 35 years ago when she was barely 11. She and her husband now live with one of their married sons and his family in a one-room house built two decades ago.
“We are unable to save our income because instead of spending money on a separate home, people here are compelled to save for their children’s timely marriages,” she said. 
“I have spent my entire life in search for a better life and now my children and grandson will suffer here without basic facilities of water, gas, and electricity as I did.”
Local priest, or pandit, Nadeem Chand said even the Shanti Nagar temple, the only one in the neighborhood, was too small to accommodate the community. 
“People often stand outside during winter and rain season to take part in community rituals,” he told Arab News. “Barely 200 people of Lachi Baradri take part inside the temple during our weekly prayer while the rest stands outside … We don’t know what sins we have committed.”




Pandit Nadeem Chand prays at the only temple in the Shanti Nagar neighborhood, Quetta, Pakistan, on October 26, 2021. (AN photo)

Chand, the community leader in the neighborhood, said it was not only the government, but also the rich and upper-caste members of the Hindu community in the province that didn’t support its poorest members.
But Raj Kumar, president of the Quetta Hindu Panchayat, denied the accusations.
“We have been living as one whole Hindu community without keeping any division of lower and upper caste,” he told Arab News. 
“The population of Shanti Nagar has doubled in the last one decade, but they prefer to live as a community in a specific place like Shanti Nagar. Even some people of Lachi Baradri from Sindh province also migrated to Quetta.”
“The Lachi Baradri has been living in very appalling conditions, but we have been helping them within our capacity,” Kumar said. “We have allowed them to come to our temples during religious festivals.”




Women and children gather in a house to cook dinner in the Shanti Nagar neighborhood, Quetta, Pakistan, on October 27, 2021. (AN photo)

Dhanesh Kumar, a senator in Balochistan who served as the province’s minority minister until earlier this year, admitted that the Lachi Baradri had been neglected by the local and central governments for the past seven decades, but recent developments offered hope.
“The provincial government in Balochistan developed the streets and sewerage system in Shanti Nagar in 2020 with an allocated fund of Rs20 million ($117,000),” he said. “Now we have been constructing a large temple for the community inside the neighborhood.”
“We have been taking all possible steps to uplift this neglected Hindu community.”


Gunmen kill journalist in southwestern Pakistan

Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

Gunmen kill journalist in southwestern Pakistan

  • Latif Baloch, who worked for a national news channel and a local newspaper, was killed in Awaran district
  • According to Freedom Network Pakistan, 53 journalists were killed in the country between 2012 and 2022

QUETTA: Unknown armed men stormed a house in Balochistan’s Awaran district in the early hours of Saturday and killed a journalist working for a mainstream news channel and a local newspaper, a Levies official said.

The killing took place in Mashkay, a remote town in the mountainous Awaran district, regarded as a stronghold of Baloch separatist groups, particularly the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF).

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, is home to a separatist insurgency led by ethnic Baloch groups, which Islamabad accuses of being backed by India.

New Delhi denies the allegation.

Earlier this month, Pakistan blamed India for a deadly attack on a school van in Khuzdar district that killed eight people, including six schoolchildren.

Zulqarnain Baloch, a Levies official in Mashkay, told Arab News that unidentified gunmen entered journalist Latif Baloch’s house at 3 a.m. and shot him dead while he was asleep with his family.

“The attackers only targeted him,” he said, adding: “Motives behind the murder are being investigated.”

According to the Press Freedom Network, an advocacy organization for media rights in Pakistan, 53 journalists were killed in the country between 2012 and 2022.

Hameedullah Sherani, the network’s provincial coordinator in Balochistan, said journalists in the province face serious threats while carrying out their work.

“Journalists in Balochistan have been working under threats by the state and non-state actors,” he said. “More than 40 journalists in Balochistan have lost their lives in the line of duty over the last two decades.”

The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) strongly condemned the killing and called for a high-level investigation.

“The provincial government must arrest the attackers behind the killing of Latif Baloch,” said Khalil Ahmed, BUJ president. “Journalists are already facing severe threats in the sensitive region of Balochistan. The government has to take immediate action for the safety of working journalists.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, remains one of Pakistan’s most dangerous regions for journalists.


Pakistan’s Punjab reports eight deaths, 45 injuries in rain and storm-related incidents

Updated 54 min 16 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan’s Punjab reports eight deaths, 45 injuries in rain and storm-related incidents

  • Deaths were primarily caused by collapsing dilapidated structures during extreme downpour in different cities
  • A fresh advisory warns of potential damage to weak infrastructure as hail and heavy rain remain in forecast

KARACHI: Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on Saturday released a preliminary report on damages caused by heavy rain and stormy weather, saying eight people were killed and 45 others injured in different cities as strong winds, lightning and hail battered parts of the country.

The report followed a weather alert issued a day earlier by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), warning of thunderstorms, gusty winds, dust storms and rain in parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Islamabad.

As the day progressed, heavy rain and hailstorms struck the federal capital and parts of KP after dark clouds gathered overhead. In Swat, torrential rain lashed the region with reports of hail in some areas and surging waters in local rivers and streams.

In Punjab’s major cities, including Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Jhelum and Lahore, the storm brought strong winds and poor visibility, prompting authorities to temporarily shut down sections of the motorway for safety.

“Eight citizens lost their lives and 45 others were injured due to storm and rain-related incidents,” the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab said in a statement. “Fatalities occurred in Rawalpindi (1), Jhelum (3), Sheikhupura (1), Nankana Sahib (1), Sialkot (1) and Mianwali (1).”

The PDMA said deaths were primarily caused by collapsing dilapidated structures or being in unsafe locations during the storm. Heavy downpour damaged several mud and old brick houses in many of these places, while in Lahore, incidents of fallen trees and damaged solar panels were also reported.

According to PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia, all district emergency operations centers have been activated, while the provincial control room is monitoring the situation round-the-clock.

“Citizens are advised to avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather and stay away from electric poles and hanging wires,” he warned.

“People should remain indoors during lightning storms and ensure children stay away from weak or damaged buildings,” he added.

Kathia said financial assistance would be provided to affected families in accordance with the provincial administration’s policy.

A fresh advisory issued Saturday evening by the National Weather Forecasting Center in Islamabad warned of potential damage to weak infrastructure, including electricity poles, trees, vehicles and solar panels, due to thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain expected overnight and into Sunday.

Pakistan has increasingly faced extreme weather events, including droughts, heatwaves and floods, linked to climate change. In 2022, it witnessed unprecedented monsoon rains that submerged much of the country, killing about 1,700 people and causing infrastructure losses exceeding $35 billion.


WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day

Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day

  • Markhors are large wild goats native to the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia
  • They are Pakistan’s national animal and are currently listed as ‘Near Threatened’ by IUCN

KARACHI: A leading conservation group in Pakistan on Saturday praised local communities for helping protect the endangered markhor species, saying people’s efforts had reversed population decline and expanded habitat ranges, as the country marked the International Day of the Markhor.

Markhors are large wild goats native to the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and parts of the Himalayan range. They are Pakistan’s national animal and are currently listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network, due to habitat loss, poaching and human disturbance.

The World Wide Fund for Nature’s Pakistan office (WWF-Pakistan) credited close coordination between communities, conservationists and government departments in regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan for positive conservation outcomes.

“Through capacity-building programs and engagement of local communities in conservation initiatives, a positive population trend has been observed in the markhor species,” it said in a statement.

Observed annually on May 24, the International Day of the Markhor was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024 to raise awareness of the species’ ecological importance and the need for its protection.

“Conservation is not just about saving a species, but it is about preserving our shared future in harmony with nature,” said Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General of WWF-Pakistan.

The organization noted the International Day of the Markhor was an opportunity to recognize the ecological value of mountain landscapes, raise awareness of conservation challenges and honor the communities that helped pull the species back from the brink of extinction.


Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty

Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty

  • Ambassador Usman Jadoon calls access to clean water a fundamental human right
  • He says India announced treaty suspension to cut off the lifeline of 240 million people

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan told a United Nations forum this week India was using river waters as a political weapon by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning that Islamabad would not allow New Delhi to cut off the lifeline of 240 million people or turn water into a tool of coercion.

The remarks came during an Arria-formula meeting of the UN Security Council, an informal session allowing open discussion on pressing international issues. The forum was held as tensions escalated following India’s decision to suspend the 1960 IWT.

While New Delhi has cited a recent militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir to justify the move, Islamabad has denied any involvement and warned that blocking Pakistan’s access to river waters threatens regional stability and violates international law.

Addressing the forum on Friday, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, emphasized that access to clean water was a fundamental human right. He condemned India’s actions, pointing out the suspension of the IWT constitutes a grave violation of international law.

“India’s decision to illegally and unilaterally suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, aiming to impede the flow of water guaranteed to Pakistan under the Treaty, is a grave violation of international law, including human rights law, the treaty law and customary international law,” Jadoon said.

He further criticized statements from Indian leadership suggesting intentions to “starve the people of Pakistan,” describing such rhetoric as dangerous and perverse.

Jadoon called upon India to adhere to its legal obligations and refrain from actions that could disrupt the flow of rivers vital to Pakistan’s population.

“We strongly condemn India’s unlawful announcement to hold the Treaty in abeyance and call upon India to strictly abide by its legal obligations and refrain from stopping, diverting or restricting rivers that are a lifeline for 240 million people of Pakistan,” he continued. “We will never accept any such moves.”

The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has been a cornerstone of water-sharing between the two nations. Its suspension marks a significant escalation in India-Pakistan relations, with potential implications for regional stability and humanitarian concerns.


Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens

Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens

  • Move follows Middle East complaints over Pakistani nationals involved in begging
  • A committee has also been tasked with strengthening passport rules and regulations

KARACHI: Pakistan’s federal government on Saturday decided to take stringent measures against its citizens deported from other countries for illegal activities by canceling their passports and registering criminal charges, in a bid to curb a growing issue that officials say is tarnishing the country’s international image.

The move follows mounting complaints, particularly from Middle Eastern countries, about public begging and undocumented migration involving Pakistani nationals.

The decision was made at a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad.

“It was decided during the meeting that FIRs [First Information Reports] would be registered against deported individuals and their passports would also be canceled,” an official statement released after the meeting said. “The deportees would be placed on the Passport Control List for five years.”

Earlier this year, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said approximately 4,000 beggars had been deported by Saudi Arabia from 2022 until the end of 2024.

“Deportees are causing embarrassment for Pakistan at international level,” Naqvi said. “Thus, no leniency will be shown to them in the future.”

To further tighten passport regulations, the interior ministry also formed a committee led by the interior secretary.

According to the statement, the committee has been tasked with proposing reforms to strengthen the passport issuance process and enforce stricter scrutiny.

Last month, over 100 Pakistanis deported from various European countries arrived in Islamabad, with officials indicating that many had been involved in fraudulent or undocumented migration.

The latest measures build on earlier actions by the interior ministry aimed at discouraging illegal migration and curbing human trafficking.

Naqvi had previously announced plans to block the issuance of new travel documents to deportees and crack down on travel agents implicated in human smuggling.