Prime Minister Imran Khan has finally taken notice of the “very legitimate demands” of the people of Gwadar as the protest of the locals in the port city for their basic rights entered nearly a month. He assured to take strict measures against illegal fishing and also assured to talk to Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo.
The people of the coastal city under the leadership of Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, had started the ‘Haq Do’ movement on November 15 in Gwadar. A large number of people, including women and children, are participating in the sit-ins, demanding clean drinking water and an end to the trawler mafia. Protest rallies were also held in various other cities of the country in connection with the ongoing protests in Gwadar since November.
The people of Gwadar are protesting for employment, education, health, clean water supply, eradication of illegal fishing, and harassment- all promises made in CPEC. The important thing is that this protest has continued with a large number of women from Balochistan also participating.
Gwadar ‘Haq Do’ rally’s participants lament that they have been protesting for justice and jobs for their people since November 15. Fishermen’s jobs are being snatched from illegal fishing on the southwestern coast of Makran. We are not against any organization but we will not tolerate insults to our mothers and sisters, they say.
“We are against those who do not allow our youth to go to the playground,” the protestors said. They said that the Department of Fisheries, the Coast Guard, the Maritime Security Agency, and other relevant agencies have failed to stop poaching. The protesters also raised the issue of inadequate health facilities, lack of clean drinking water, and lack of jobs for educated youth.
Protesters say illegal fishing is destroying marine life and depriving local fishermen of their livelihood. The token system should be completely abolished by stopping poaching and border trade should be restored as before.
Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, the leader of Haq Do Tehreek, has said that after taking notice of PM Imran Khan of the protests that, he would welcome it as a positive gesture. He said that we are not stubborn people, we believe in the solution of problems.
Balochistan is currently gaining a very important place in the country’s economy and the eyes of the whole world are on Pakistan. In such a situation, the ongoing protest in Gwadar is not in the best interest of the country and this movement is being presented in the world media, especially in India, as vicious propaganda against CPEC.
The government needs to take immediate steps to implement the legitimate demands of the protesters so that the problems of the people of Balochistan are resolved and the enemy forces do not get a chance to tarnish Pakistan’s image.
