Quetta Christians Fight The Demoliton Of Historic Shelter
In Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, Christian activists are raising their voices against the planned demolition of a 55-year-old shelter home for young Christians in Quetta. The shelter, named Al-Falah, has long served as a beacon of hope for students from impoverished backgrounds.
Adnan Arif Jehangir, a Christian representative of the National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, has called upon church authorities to halt the demolition and return the property to its former students. Speaking at a press conference in Quetta on February 25, he emphasised that the Catholic Church serves only as a custodian of the shelter, not its owner.
Many alumni of Al-Falah have expressed their discontent, demanding the resignation of Bishop Khalid Rehmat of Quetta for allowing the demolition. They also called for the appointment of a local Balochistani priest as bishop in the Apostolic Vicariate of Quetta. The vicariate, which is the largest in Pakistan by geographical area, is also one of the most economically disadvantaged, according to Jehangir.
Established by Dutch Franciscan priest Father Otto Postma, the shelter home has provided modern education to at least 1,200 underprivileged students. Built with both foreign and local funding, it has been a cornerstone of educational and social development for local Christians, who make up less than one per cent of Balochistan’s population of 14.9 million.
Jehangir and other activists see the demolition as an attack on their cultural and religious heritage. A banner displayed at the press conference carried messages such as “Salute to the dignity of Father Postma” and “No to corruption in the name of religion.”
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Al-Falah was integrated into the Don Bosco Learning Centre in 2010 and is currently managed by Salesian Father Samuel Adnan. However, some alumni argue that this transition led to the loss of the shelter’s original mission. Father Adnan clarified that the merger happened after the Franciscans left the area in the early 2000s and that the building was renamed St John Vianney Church. Despite this, he asserted that the shelter continues to provide free education and boarding to deserving students.
The controversy escalated when the Balochistan High Court intervened on February 24, issuing an order to maintain the status quo and suspend demolition until further legal deliberations. The court was responding to a petition filed by Jehangir and another alumnus. The next hearing is scheduled for March 5.
The land on which Al-Falah stands is reportedly valued at 7 billion rupees (US$24.98 million). Jehangir has accused Father Qaiser Boota, assistant parish priest of St John Vianney Church, of issuing death threats to him over the dispute. However, Father Boota denied the allegations, claiming that Jehangir had attempted to obstruct construction work and had to be removed from the premises.
Father Boota insists that the proposed demolition is not driven by commercial interests but by the need to construct a larger church for parishioners. “The building is old, and we want to build a bigger church in its place to better serve our community,” he stated.
As legal proceedings continue, the fate of Al-Falah remains uncertain. However, the opposition from Christian activists highlights deeper concerns regarding the preservation of religious and historical sites in Pakistan’s marginalised Christian community.
Content Credit| Agbetan Bisola
Picture Credit | https://www.ucanews.com/
