Gwadar sit-in enters 7th day

QUETTA: Daily life in Gwadar has been significantly affected by a sit-in organized by workers and supporters of the All Parties Alliance at Marine Drive in the port city.

The week-long demonstration is aimed at pressing for their demands, including the reopening of the border with Iran to facilitate trade in Iranian oil and other goods. The border has remained closed for several months due to government restrictions. The protest leaders have claimed that border trade is the primary source of livelihood for the local population, many of whom have been rendered jobless since the border closure.

The demonstrators also criticized the introduction of a token system at the Kuntani border, stating that it disrupts trade and exacerbates unemployment in the region. They have called for the immediate abolition of the token system and demanded unrestricted border trade.

Representatives of the All Parties Alliance highlighted that despite Gwadar’s importance in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), its residents are deprived of basic necessities. They complained about the lack of electricity and drinking water, describing it as a grave injustice to the people of the region.

The protestors further pointed out that oil trade vehicles owned by local residents are being stopped at the Talaar checkpoint, leaving them stranded on highways for weeks. According to the protesters, the worsening economic and social conditions in Gwadar have pushed locals into extreme hardship.

Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch, the central leader of the National Party, expressed his strong support for the protest and the demands of the All Parties Alliance. He criticized the government’s policies, stating, “With such misguided policies, millions of people in Mekran have been deprived of their livelihood. They have been left jobless, with no alternative means to support their families.”

He added, “Restrictions on trade for the local people of Turbat, Gwadar, Panjgur, and other areas of the Mekran division with Iran have created a severe financial crisis.” Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch called on the government to reopen the border with Iran, resume border trade, and allow the people to earn their livelihoods without any restrictions. He also urged all political parties and the general public to support the demands of the All Parties Alliance. The protestors have vowed to continue their sit-in until their issues—such as border trade, electricity, access to water, and other grievances—are addressed and resolved.