Violence in Quetta Rooted in Colonial Policies, Pashtunkhwa Will Not Be Used as Fuel for Armed Conflict: Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party
**Quetta (Daily Qudrat Quetta):** Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP), in a central statement, has expressed deep concern over the recent violent, horrific, and bloody incidents in the Baloch belt and Quetta, the center of southern Pashtunkhwa, describing them as a direct outcome of colonial policies and what it termed as “Punjabi colonialism.”
The party statement said that Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party is not merely a political group but the inheritor of the Pashtun-Afghan national political movement and a well-organized national democratic force. It added that the party’s history is marked by resistance against colonial oppression, struggle for the restoration of democracy, social justice, peace, and development. The statement noted that party leaders and workers have consistently stood on the front line against dictatorship and national subjugation, offering historic sacrifices.
Reaffirming its ideological stance, the party said it supports every just struggle aimed at liberating oppressed nations and marginalized classes from colonial domination. While respecting different forms of struggle adopted by nations according to their objective conditions, Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party emphasized that it has consciously chosen a peaceful, political, and democratic path to free the Pashtun-Afghan people from national subjugation and economic exploitation. The party stressed that peaceful political struggle remains the most effective and sustainable means for achieving long-term results for oppressed nations.
Analyzing the causes of the current unrest, the statement held the country’s “colonial rulers” directly responsible for the destructive attacks on forces, state installations, and public property in Baloch areas and Quetta. It said that the ongoing violence, bloodshed, and instability are a natural and logical consequence of a colonial system of governance, exploitation of resources, and anti-people policies imposed by the state. The statement added that when citizens are deprived of their basic rights and pushed against the wall, such reactions become inevitable.
The party further stated that lasting peace cannot be achieved unless the ruling authorities abandon their oppressive and colonial policies. It proposed the formation of a new “social contract” in line with the true spirit of the 1940 Resolution. According to the statement, a genuine democratic federation is now inevitable, where Pashtuns, Baloch, Sindhis, Saraikis, and Punjabis enjoy full authority, autonomy, and empowerment within their respective historical and geographical units. Without granting nations their full democratic, political, and economic rights, the statement warned, violence and deprivation will continue to haunt the country.
Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party also expressed serious concern that the recent wave of violence has expanded from Baloch areas to Pashtun districts of southern Pashtunkhwa, particularly Quetta, putting the lives, property, dignity, and peaceful existence of Pashtun people at grave risk. Issuing a clear message to all parties involved, the statement said that Pashtunkhwa and its peaceful land must not be turned into a battleground or trench for armed actions and war adventures. It added that the Pashtun people have already suffered immensely due to decades of imposed wars and cannot bear any further armed conflict.
In conclusion, the party appealed to the people of Pashtunkhwa, especially youth and political activists, to unite and organize themselves for the defense of their homeland, protection of national rights, and establishment of lasting peace. The statement emphasized that unity is essential to prevent any internal or external force from using Pashtunkhwa’s land for its own interests.
