No Allotment of Ancestral Lands in Ziarat Will Be Allowed, Warns Ayaz Jogezai

QUETTA:Senior leader of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and Convener of the *Olsi Jirga*, **Nawab Muhammad Ayaz Khan Jogezai**, has strongly condemned the recent land transfers in Ziarat and Harnai, warning that the local people’s ancestral lands will not be allowed to be allotted under any circumstances.

Addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press Club on Monday, alongside party leaders Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Dr. Hamid Khan Achakzai, Kabir Afghan, and other jirga members, Jogezai demanded that the government **immediately cancel the transfer of 177,000 acres of land** in Ziarat, or face legal action in the courts.

> “This is a well-planned conspiracy to deprive the tribal people of Ziarat and Harnai of their legitimate land ownership through unconstitutional and illegal means,” he said.

He explained that the land in question has belonged to the local tribes since the British colonial era. Even after official forest notifications in the late 1800s, tribal communities continued to enjoy full rights — including grazing, use of dry wood, and agricultural activities.

Jogezai condemned the **June 4, 2025 land transfer** process as a blatant violation of those rights and warned of **continued public resistance until the allotments are revoked**.

He further accused the so-called “Form 47 rulers” of:

* Violating the Constitution,
* Undermining the judiciary and the media,
* Amending the Mines and Minerals Act to facilitate large-scale corruption and resource looting.

> “These illegitimate rulers are responsible for corruption, robbery, bribery, and lawlessness. Major highways are unsafe, and there’s no accountability. Crime and terrorism are rampant across southern Pashtunkhwa, and not a single perpetrator has been brought to justice.”

Jogezai called for **transparent, impartial general elections**, stating that current provincial governments are the result of rigging and have lost public trust.

He warned that the economic crisis — including rising inflation, unemployment, and growing utility bills — is crippling the people, and Pakistan’s 260 million citizens are suffering under unsustainable debt.

> “Every Pakistani today owes over 350,000 rupees due to IMF loans, yet not a single foot of motorway has been built in Balochistan. Meanwhile, our mineral resources remain untapped — and when we resist external exploitation, we’re pushed aside.”

Jogezai emphasized that any resource extraction must be subject to agreements based on **international laws**, clearly defining the **shares of the local, district, provincial, and federal governments**.

He declared that **like the Baloch, the Pashtuns will also resist**, and warned that forced allotments to outsiders are a recipe for unrest.

Speaking at the same event, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal added that national parks like Hazarganji were allocated in the past through legal processes, but the current transfers are **unauthorized** and a **clear attempt to displace indigenous communities**.

The *Olsi Jirga* announced that:

* A major public gathering will be held on **August 11 in Ziarat**,
* A **writ petition** will be filed in court for the cancellation of the land transfers,
* Protests will also be held in **Harnai**.

> “We will not allow this reckless takeover of our ancestral lands,” Jogezai concluded.