By Ahmed Saeed
On Sunday, December 25, 2022, a massive crowd began a protest at the Gwadar Marine Drive, blocking the coastal highway, after a late-night police crackdown took place on Haq Do Gwadar’s sit-in camp.
Balochistan home minister Ziaullah Langove had visited the HDT’s two-month-long protest camp on Sunday night for talks. However, negotiations failed, and soon after the govt delegation left, the police began its crackdown.
Several people were injured during the police operation
The police forcibly dismantled the camp and tear-gassed the demonstrators. The police have also arrested the leadership of the movement.
The authorities have also shut down the internet to block the free flow of information from the area.
The movement was headed by Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, General-Secretary of Jamat-e-Islami (JI)’s Balochistan chapter.
The sit-in demanded an end to illegal trawling and a reduction in security check posts.
گوادر میں خواتین کا احتجاج- انتظامیہ نے ریلی کو پرتشدد انداز میں منتشر کرنے کی کوشش کی۔ #Gwadar #Gwadarprotest https://t.co/bVtTuCwCQx pic.twitter.com/DE46aRVAiH
— Kiyya Baloch (@KiyyaBaloch) December 26, 2022
The movement started in September 2021 and gained popularity also sweeping local body elections. Last year, the sit-in also went on for months and ended only after Chief Minister Balochistan visited the coastal city and gave assurances to resolve all the movement’s demands.
However, according to Hidayat ur Rehman, the authorities have failed to keep their promises and they were left with no other option but to restart the protests.