May 10, 2026 — The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has accused Pakistani state forces and allied officials of forcibly displacing Baloch and Sindhi residents from longstanding coastal settlements in Karachi, calling the actions an “organised land grab” carried out under the pretext of development.
In a post on X, the BYC said armed personnel and powerful figures were demolishing homes in Bellyji, Abdul Rahman Goth and nearby fishing communities to seize coastal land and marine resources. The committee said these settlements have been inhabited for generations, predating the creation of Pakistan, and carry deep historical and cultural significance for local Baloch residents.
The BYC alleged that state institutions are attempting to reclassify ancestral land as government property to justify the takeover. It also claimed a senior military officer illegally leased disputed land to himself with assistance from Sindh Revenue Department officials, despite rules restricting leases in the area.
According to the committee, residents who resisted evictions have been subjected to intimidation, arbitrary arrests and violence. One resident who sought legal protection for ancestral land was reportedly charged in what BYC described as a “false and fabricated” FIR alleging assault, threats and land grabbing; the committee framed the charges as an example of state intimidation and misuse of official power.
BYC linked the current operation to wider urban development projects in Karachi, including the Malir Expressway, which it says displaced communities and destroyed agricultural land in Malir district. The group also pointed to earlier demolitions in the old fishing settlement of Yunusabad, where homes and community facilities were lost during a housing-scheme expansion.
The BYC demanded an immediate stop to demolition operations, restoration of affected families to their ancestral lands and compensation for damages. It urged international bodies such as Amnesty International and the United Nations to take notice of the situation.
This report is based on a syndicated feed from ANI as published by The Tribune.
