GWADAR: Maulana Hadayatur Rehman, the supreme leader of Gwadar sit-in protest, has termed China is a friend of Gwadar, saying that the protesters were not at all against China, China-led development, and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
In an interview with Gwadar Pro, Maulana Hadayatur Rehman said that Gwadar protest and sit-in was not against Gwadar Port being operated by the Chinese company China Overseas Port Holding Company.
“Rather it aims to seek rights to live a life that every Pakistani deserves,” said the Maulana.
Sharing his views, the Maulana said that he rejected the western-backed agenda trying to paint the 23-day-long sit-in as hostile to China.
“Let me tell you categorically that we are demonstrating to reclaim our basic rights enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan,” he added.
Another protest leader said that during the sit-in, protesters did not block the Eastbay Expressway being constructed by Gwadar Port Authority under the CPEC and this gesture showed loud and clear that the protest never wanted to disrupt ongoing development work.
He shrugged off all conspiracy theories and spilled the beans that once demands put forth before the government was met, protesters would disperse peacefully.
China Overseas Port Holding Company officials said that the sit-in leadership had cleared in the beginning that protest would never pose any tension for China. “They consider China and COPHC as their friends,” they added.
Since the protest was launched, the port functioned as per routine and never got disrupted, they further clarified.
