Quetta Traders Condemn Unjust Sealing of Shops by Auqaf Department, Threaten Protest and Strike

QUETTA:The President of the Central Traders Association of Balochistan, Abdul Rahim Kakr, strongly condemned the sealing of shops by the officials of the Auqaf Department of Quetta without any prior notice, calling it an unjust act. Kakr demanded the immediate reopening of the sealed shops, warning that if this issue is not resolved, the traders’ community would be compelled to go on a protest and a shutter-down strike.

Addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press Club on Saturday, along with other local traders including Mir Yaseen Mengal, Haji Mohammad Ilyas, Haji Manzoor, Haji Habibullah, Haji Naqeeb, Ikram Khan, and Kaleemullah, Kakr explained that local businesses in Quetta had been operating on properties and shops owned by the Auqaf Department for decades. These traders have consistently paid their monthly rent in accordance with the rules and regulations.

Kakr pointed out that the Auqaf Department officials sealed 36 shops across various areas of Quetta, including Jinnah Road, Masjid Road, Fatima Jinnah Road, Munsafi Road, Shawk Shah Road, Prince Road, and Stewart Road, without prior notice. He also accused the officials of using rent as a pretext for the arbitrary action and demanded that the traders pay additional amounts. He claimed that the officials were seeking bribes from the shopkeepers, even asking them to make payments directly to personal accounts or through EasyPaisa, which, according to Kakr, was a form of blackmailing.

He further stated that traders have been paying the annual rent increase of 8% as per government regulations, and they possess receipts for all the payments made. However, the Auqaf Department recently raised the rent by 8,000% in 2006, and now, they were demanding an amount ranging between 6.5 to 8 million rupees from the traders under the pretext of “outstanding dues”—even though the rent payments for this month had already been made. The shops were sealed in the dark of night, and notices were affixed to them without warning.

Kakr criticized the Auqaf Department’s actions, claiming that these steps were being taken to push traders into unemployment. He made it clear that if the sealed shops are not reopened immediately, the traders will have no choice but to take drastic actions, including protests, strikes, rallies, and sit-ins. He warned that the responsibility for any resulting chaos would fall squarely on the Auqaf Department of Balochistan.