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A coastal highway in Gwadar was blocked during protests near the port city's Sarbandan area in response to the arrest of 'Haq do Tehreek' leader Hussain Wadala and seven of his supporters, according to a report in Geo News.
Protests in Gwadar have been going on for about eight weeks now under the leadership of Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman. Geo News reported, "The protestors have been demanding a reduction in the number of check posts, easier border trade and a total end to deep-sea fish trawling in the sea next to Gwadar." The movement's supporters, after the arrest of their leaders, blocked the Coastal Highway near Sarbandan. In support of the arrested leaders, they also announced a strike in Gwadar and a rally in Pasni. Balochistan government spokesperson Farah Azeem, while clarifying the Balochistan government's position, said the police arrested some of the protestors after they tried to shut down the Gwadar port. According to Azeem, the movement is provocative. "Meanwhile, National Party (NP) has condemned the arrest and police action against the protestors, demanding the immediate release of those taken into custody by the police," reported Geo News. "NP general secretary Muhammad Jan Buledi said the government should hold meaningful talks with protestors and their leadership," the report said. The government formed a committee to negotiate with the movement's leadership, but could not achieve a breakthrough until Saturday. Home Minister of Balochistan, Mir Ziaullah Lango, on Sunday said the government is trying to end the strike and sit-in in Gwadar through dialogue. Commissioner of Karachi, DIG, and DC Gwadar had been instructed to hold talks with the protestors and broker a truce, Lango said. "We are hopeful of ending the stalemate soon," he added. "According to Lango, the chief minister advised resolving the issue through negotiations. He hoped that 'Haq Do Tehreek' leader Hidayat-ur-Rehman would respect their offer for talks," reported Geo News. Recently, Geo-Politik reported that protests are continuing unabated in Gwadar against illegal deep-sea fishing under the banner 'Give Gwadar Its Rights'. The harassment of local residents at security checkpoints demonstrates the frustration of people against the 'failures of the promised development in the region', the report said. Further, according to the report, the protesters believe their livelihood has been taken away from them and feel abandoned. Maulana Hidayat ur Rehman, secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami Balochistan, expressed solidarity with the protesting fishermen, as per the Geo-Politik report. Rehman said that 90 per cent of the population in Gwadar comprises fishermen. Some activists claimed that the fishermen communities in coastal parts of Balochistan have not been given proper compensation. Javed Hussain Shah, an Islamabad-based scholar on BRI projects in Pakistan, said, "People in Gwadar have shown their frustration over the hollow dreams Beijing sold them." (ANI)
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