Synopsis

Nobody expected that an unknown cleric belonging to a centrist politico-religious party would manage to pull such huge crowds in the sleepy port city of Gwadar in southern Balochistan and ultimately force the federal and provincial governments to accept all his demands.

Gwadar rising
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QUETTA: Nobody expected that an unknown cleric belonging to a centrist politico-religious party would manage to pull such huge crowds in the sleepy port city of Gwadar in southern Balochistan and ultimately force the federal and provincial governments to accept all his demands.

Maulana Hidayatur Rahman, the provincial general secretary of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), started his protest movement in October from Gwadar – the key node of the Belt and Road-linked multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project – over the seizure of boats and vehicles carrying Iranian fuel.

The cleric had staged the protest – participated in by the local people – by blocking the main Coastal National Highway for three days. He had demanded that the authorities not only release the impounded boats, vehicles and Iranian oil but also take action against illegal fishing trawlers from Sindh.

In the wake of the protest, the authorities made some assurances. However, the movement – named as Haq Do Gwadar Ko [Give rights to Gwadar] – restarted its protest on October 30.

The Maulana now gave a fifteen-day ultimatum in a public meeting at Mulla Fazil Chowk, saying if the government failed to implement its assurances, the people would stage a sit-in for an indefinite period.

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The provincial government led by Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, however, didn’t pay any attention to the sensitivity of the situation and kept passing orders to the civil administration to assure the protesters that their demands would be accepted.

Seeing the enthusiasm and commitment of the people, the Maulana toughened his stance with each passing day. The provincial government now put a ban on his entry in the neighbouring districts of Gwadar where he planned to mobilize the people.

Name of the protest leader was also placed in the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997 while he was also barred from making speeches and traveling. According to Maulana Hidayat, his two bank accounts with a balance of Rs5,000 were also blocked.

These actions incited the cleric who flaunted the government restrictions and continually travelled and made speeches in different areas.  A large number of people from a number of districts like Awaran, Kharan, Kechh, Punjgur and Lasbela and even from Quetta and Karachi also started taking part in the sit-in.

When the size of the sit-in grew with every passing day for two weeks and the mainstream media started giving coverage to it, the opposition parties also started sending their representatives to Gwadar to express solidarity with the protestors.

Prime Minister Imran Khan led federal government also got conscious of the opposition parties’ growing interest in the sit-in and asked Balochistan Chief Minister Bizenjo to take measures as it feared that the opposition parties might take benefit of the situation and exploit the sit-in to their benefit.

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However, the provincial government did not make any serious effort to resolve the issue except for assigning a couple of ministers the task to bring Hidayat round and convince him to call off the protest. These ministers paid few visits to Gwadar and returned without any breakthrough as they were unable to provide any firm assurances to the protestors.

Later, on the direction of the federal government, Balochistan Chief Secretary Mathar Niaz Rana and local military officials started negotiations with the protestors, who called off their sit-in on December 16 after a successful round of talks also attended by federal ministers Asad Umar and Zubaida Jalal. The protestors and the provincial government signed a written 11-point agreement.

Cause of the protest

Due to lack of industries and agriculture in Makran division, the people have to depend on Iranian goods, particularly fuel and edible items for their agricultural and household use.

There are estimated 500 trawlers of Sindh involved in illegal fishing in Balochistan’s territorial waters with the connivance of both federal and provincial departments mainly the fisheries and each trawler pays Rs100,000 as bribe only to Balochistan fisheries department.

The federal government last month put a complete ban on the smuggling of Iranian goods, particularly fuel, but later it had to allow it in limited quantities for the local people through a token system in the wake of protests across the province.

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After the imposition of the ban, hundreds of drivers had gathered in protest in the remotest area at Pakistan-Iran border and two of them had died of hunger and thirst. The issue was highlighted on social media and the government relaxed the restriction for the local people.

Earlier, the Iranian fuel would reach Punjab and Sindh markets with the connivance of departments.

The local fishermen also face problems due to restriction on fishing on the eve of visits by the president, prime minister and dignitaries, so have been demanding for lifting this ban.

The agreement

The agreement said the government would ensure monitoring and checking of trawlers through joint patrolling with help of administration and fishermen. Fishermen will be free to go into sea for fishing and people’s movement won’t be curtailed unnecessarily during VIP movements.

It said the government would issue orders to dissolve trade unions and committees and restore border trade as per regulation of the district administration. “Affairs of the border trade will be handed over to district administration from the Frontier Corps Balochistan, with all the powers.”

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According to the agreement, a joint committee to be formed for abolishing unnecessary check posts in districts of Gwadar, Kech and Panjgur. The committee will conduct a survey in this regard and submit recommendations for removal of unnecessary check posts.

The chief minister will announce a special package for the fishermen of Gwadar and after re-conducting the survey of expressway affectees, will provide them compensation at earliest.

“All cases against the activists of Haq Do Movement to be withdrawn and name of the leader to be removed from 4th Schedule. Measures will be taken for the compensation of affected fishermen of sea storms after coordination with the deputy commissioner office.

The federal and provincial departments have to ensure implementation of job quota for disabled persons. The sanctity of the houses of the local residents in Makran division will duly be respected.

“No action will be taken against any activist of Haq Do Movement after dharna [sit-in] and the provincial government will fully cooperate in releasing boats, launches and vehicles impounded by the Pakistan Coast Guard and the Pakistan Customs,” the agreement said.

Anti-state elements

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There were reports that some elements with separatist tendencies had also joined the protestors in a bid to hijack the sit-in. They had tried their best to turn the sentiments of protestors against state and security agencies. However, Maulana Hidayat who was earlier using harsh language against the security forces later tempered his narrative after meeting JI leaders Sirajul Haq and Liaquat Baloch.

The people of Gwadar and other districts of Makran division in particular and Baloch population in general think that they are also being ignored in CPEC and its related projects.

The people of Balochistan have a long list of grievances against the Centre as they hold Islamabad responsible for their miseries. If CPEC and its related projects have to be made a success story, the local Baloch population has to be made stakeholders.

Role of Massi Zaini        

There was also a character who became a motivational force for the sit-in particularly women folk. It was Massi Zainab aka Zaini, a 70-year-old woman.  She is a widow belonging to a fisherman family. It was Zaini who motivated Maulana Hidayat and other people to stage the demonstration.

She sent him an SOS message in the form of a video clip urging him to help the people of Gwadar. During the protest, she was seen serving food to the participants and motivating the women to come out of their homes and take part in the protest.

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