Gwadar port in Baluchistan witnesses increasing demands from the locals for their rights

Leader of Gwadar Ko Haq Do Tehreek, Maulana Hidayatur Rehman has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and resources of Balochistan belong to the people of Baluchistan.

Gwadar (Pakistan): Protests in Gwadar port have intensified with the locals headed by the leader of Gwadar Ko Haq Do Tehreek (Movement for rights of Gwadar) demanding further rights.

Leader of Gwadar Ko Haq Do Tehreek (Movement for rights of Gwadar) Maulana Hidayatur Rehman has said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and resources of Balochistan belong to the people of Baluchistan and no person, however powerful, will be allowed to deprive the people of their legitimate and legal rights, according to the Dawn.

Further, Maulana Rehman warned the chief minister and provincial government of Baluchistan that if the agreement reached between the government and the movement leaders was not honoured and implemented, the movement would stage a massive protest sit-in of more than one million people in Quetta after three months.

"Our struggle will continue till all check-posts of security forces are removed and illegal fishing in Balochistan sea waters by trawlers was stopped," Maulana Rehman said. "Resources of the province are ours, Balochistan is ours, CPEC is ours, the beach is ours and Gwadar Port is also ours," he added.

Gwadar has been pitched as a key node of the Belt and Road linked China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Further, Gwadar residents have been demanding access to clean drinking water and an end to the trawler mafia.

Furthr, Pakistan's Opposiiton leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had described the protests in the port city of Gwadar as a "watershed event" in the struggle for basic rights in the country.

ANI