Prime Minister Imran assures protesters in Gwadar that they will take action against illegal fishing

Prime Minister Imran assures protesters in Gwadar that they will take action against illegal fishing

• Rights Leader Waiting For Practical Steps
• CM's Advisor Says Boats Will Be Released That Are Out Of Provincial Domain
• Solidarity Day rallies in the districts of Balochistan

ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that the demands of the coastal community of Gwadar were very legitimate and announced that he would discuss the matter with Balochistan Prime Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo.

Prime Minister Khan's intervention came almost a month after Gwadar fishermen took to the streets to press the government on their demands, including an end to illegal fishing.

Mr. Khan promised to take strong action against illegal fishing by trawlers. I have taken note of the very legitimate demands of the hardworking fishermen from Gwadar. Will take tough action against illegal trawler fishing and speak to CM Balochistan, the Prime Minister tweeted.

While both CM Bizenjo and the leader of the Gwadar protest movement Maulana Hidayatur Rehman welcomed the Prime Minister's tweet, the latter pointed out that the real problem was the fulfillment of promises.

A senator from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) told the state television broadcaster that some of the demands made by local fishermen were unacceptable. If some of these demands are met, the government must make such facilities available to all people in the country, said Senator Abdul Qadir, who is from Balochistan.

Large numbers of fishermen, as well as women and children, have been protesting on the banks of Gwadar for 28 days to urge the relevant authorities to end illegal fishing by trawlers, to remove the director-general of the Gwadar Development Authority and the deputy commissioners and deputy commissioners from Pasnis, cross-border trade with Iran, provision of clean drinking water, closure of wine shops, jobs, the employment rate for the disabled and 300 units of free electricity.

Led by Maulana HidayaturRehman, Balochistan's general secretary of the Jamaat-i-Islami, the demonstrators have vowed to continue their protest until their rights are realized. They blocked streets and other places by holding rallies and sitting down strikes.

The advisor to the CM for internal affairs and tribal affairs Mir Ziaullah Langau told a PTV show that the Balochistan government had already fulfilled most of its 19 demands and promised to crack down on the so-called illegal trawler mafia.

Regarding one of the three remaining complaints, the CMs adviser said Maulana Rehman had recently admitted during a meeting that illegal fishing by trawlers had declined, despite fears that activity would resurface if protesters ended their sit-in.

Regarding their boats and vehicles, which had been confiscated under the Customs Act, the adviser said he had informed the protesters that it was an act of the federal government and outside the domain of the Balochistan government.

Speaking to Dawn, PTI Senator Abdul Qadir said that some of her demands were unacceptable. If any of these requirements are met, the government must make such facilities available to all people in the country. For example, fishermen are demanding free 300 units of electricity, cross-border trade with Iran and the use of duty-free cars in Balochistan.

The senator said some anti-subversive elements are provoking fishermen against the government to create unrest in the port city.

The leader of the Gwadar right-wing movement also praised Prime Minister Khan's tweet, who said: We are not stubborn and believe in solving the problems, although the Prime Minister noted the calls for the protest to start on day 28. He said the protest will continue as people waited for practical steps to meet all of the demands that were very legitimate.

He said the prime minister had not spoken about a few other important issues, including opening the border, electricity and water problems and the return of the seized boats and vehicles.

Despite official communications from the provincial government, no steps were taken to fulfill these promises, he said. We want implementation as our people are being deprived of their livelihood due to the restrictions, he said.

Maulana Rehman had previously said the protest would continue until two of the 19 claims against the trawler mafia and cross-border trade with Iran are accepted.

While welcoming the Prime Minister's pledge, CM Bizenjo said the pledge was encouraging. He claimed that the steps called for by the Gwadar Right Movement, which fell within the purview of the provincial government, were already being implemented according to their policies.

The provincial authorities responsible are ensuring the prevention of illegal and trawling fishing, he said, adding that unnecessary checkpoints and token systems for border trade have already been phased out. He said that in Gwadar the licenses for wine shops had been withdrawn and funds had been released for the urgent solution of the drinking water problems as well as for the development plan for the old town of Gwadar.

Several other demands, including electricity, relate to the federal government, the CM said, expressing hope that the demands related to the association would also be resolved through better coordination between relevant departments and authorities to curb illegal trawling.

In order to end the stalemate, however, the General Secretary of the National Party, Mir Jan Mohammad Buledi, urged the government to immediately hold meaningful negotiations with representatives of the demonstrators.

In other parts of the province, rallies took place on the occasion of the Solidarity Day of Balochistan at the request of the Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq.

Protest rallies were held in Quetta, Dera Murad Jamali, Jaffarabad, Zhob, Sui, Dera Bugti, Bela, Khuzdar, Duki and several other districts to urge provincial and federal authorities to respond to the demands of the Gwadar right-wing movement.