GWADAR: Hundreds of women Monday took to roads in Balochistan’s Gwadar district and demanded rights and jobs cut due to curbs on illegal smuggling of petrol and goods across Pakistan, Iran border.
The rally commenced from Al Johar Public School and concluded at Marine Drive. Speaking at the rally, the participants stated that the breadwinners of their homes were without jobs which had compelled them to step out into the streets.
They called for an end to illegal fishing by trawlers and for lifting restrictions on trade with Iran.
Addressing the rally, Maulana Hidayatur Rehman Baloch, the secretary general of Jamaat-i-Islami’s (JI) Balochistan chapter and who is leading the movement, stated that today’s “historic rally” was a testament to the fact that each and every citizen of Gwadar had mobilised for their basic rights.
“All have the same demand: to provide the entire Makran area with basic amenities like potable and clean water,” he said.
On Sunday, Balochistan Minister for Planning and Development Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, who is heading the government team for talks with the protesters, said that the demands made by Baloch had been implemented to a great extent — something he said Baloch had also acknowledged in his speeches.
The minister called on him to show more flexibility in negotiations.
Thousands of people from Gwadar, Turbat, Pishkan, Zamran, Buleda, Ormara and Pasni have been staging a protest for the past several days. Among their demands is the removal of additional check-posts at Pushkan, Sarbandan and Gwadar City, the complete removal of fishing trawlers and the opening of the Pak-Iran border.
Last week, the Excise, Taxation and Anti-Narcotics Department had ordered the closure of all wine stores in Gwadar district with immediate effect in view of the “law and order situation”.
The notification was shared by Buledi on Twitter, who said the decision was taken after negotiations with JI’s Baloch.
