On November 29th the streets of Gwadar were loaded with thousands of Baloch women. Marching and chanting slogans against the so-called Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor. It all began fifteen days earlier when natives of Gwadar began a sit-in demanding the illegal trawling should stop immediately, military checkpoints must end immediately, enforced disappearances of Balochistan people must come to an end, there must be a ban on liquor store and drug peddling, the ban on border trading must end and people shall be allowed to travel without any token system or paying any bribe to the Frontier Corps personnel and the disrespectful behaviours of military personnel with the locals of Balochistan must immediately stop.
The sit-in is headed by Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman, a local leader of a religious party (Jamat Islami). The sit-in however is not an initiative of any political party but a local movement which is known as “Gwadar Haq Do Tehreek” and locals are participating in the sit-in irrespective of their political affiliation.
Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman before announcing the Women’s March had several rounds of talks with the government officials including Zahoor Buledai, Minister for planning and development in Balochistan government and President of Balochistan Awami Party, the ruling party of Balochistan Assembly. After the talks, Maulana not only said that the government officials have not fulfilled their demands but also tried to sabotage their peaceful sit-in by announcing a ban on protest across Balochistan.
Maulana had previously mentioned that the state forces and officials are not taking their protest seriously because they think that these people are not committed to their demands and they will not be able to achieve support from the masses.
On the 29th of November, the women’s March in Gwadar did not only prove that people of Gwadar are deprived of their basic necessities but as well they are extremely unhappy with the way Military and Para Military forces are treating the locals at the checkpoints and asking them “where are you coming from and where are you going.”
A woman protester, who requested anonymity, said “We have no other option but to protest and demand our basic rights. They have been claiming that CPEC will bring development and prosperity for the people of Gwadar and Balochistan. Does it resemble prosperity ?” She asked.
“If the fishermen want to go to fishing, these FC and Marine Security forces keep asking them the same question (Kahan se aa rahe ho Kahan Ja rahe ho).
where are you coming from and where are you going, knowing that the person is a fisherman and going fishing but still they keep them waiting for hours before allowing them to go fishing.” She continued saying that this is not their land, that is why they don’t understand how the sea works and what time is perfect for fishing.” She laughed and continued we are not even asking them for their job and their wealth or even this so-called CPEC. What we are demanding is to let us live the way we were living before this disastrous development project arrived. Our men were happy with fishing and border trading. Maybe we were not earning millions but our kids were not sleeping on an empty stomach. Since this CPEC has been announced and the Chinese have stepped into our City the lives of people have become miserable.
A local journalist also requested to keep his identity anonymous and said that “today I can sense anger, dedication and a sense of understanding for their rights in these people. In the past the state would call someone an agent of India and Afghanistan or Israel and people would not dare to join the protest of that group or individual, but now it is clear that people are unhappy about the situation and they decided to resist for their rights.”
The sit-in in Gwadar is still continuing and it is getting more and more support from the masses of Balochistan. On the other hand, the so-called Balochistan Government is playing the role of the puppet of Islamabad and GHQ and not listening to the protesting people.
