Pakistan: 47 day protest in Gwadar ends after successful negotiations with authorities

Gwadar [Pakistan], January 31 (ANI): After 47 days of protests in Gwadar, an alliance of political parties decided to call off their sit-in on Thursday following successful negotiations with district authorities, Dawn reported.

The alliance has provided a one-month timeframe to the district administration to address the issues that led to the protest.

A seven-point agreement was signed between the two parties after the talks. As part of the agreement, the alliance leadership agreed to end the protest until the month of Ramazan, as per Dawn.

The district administration committed to implementing the seven-point plan, which includes measures to combat illegal trawling, reduce load-shedding, provide 17 hours of electricity daily, allocate a colony for local fishermen, accelerate ongoing projects by the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA), and ensure a steady supply of clean water to residents.

According to Dawn, the negotiations were attended by Gwadar Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr Abdul Shakoor, Assistant Commissioner Mir Jawad Ahmed Zehri and key political and social figures from the alliance.

Other notable attendees included Director Marine Ahmad Nadeem, Quetta Electric Supply Company SDO Shigar Allah Baloch and Naveed Mengal and GDA engineers Abdul Razak and Nadir Baloch.

Due to the ongoing protests, normal life in Gwadar remains severely impacted as workers and supporters of the All Parties Alliance continued their sit-in at Marine Drive for over a week.

The protesters are demanding the reopening of the Iranian border for trade in oil and other goods, which has been shut for several months, as per Dawn.

Dawn’s report indicates that protest leaders emphasised that border trade is the main source of livelihood for Gwadar’s residents, many of whom have lost their jobs due to the extended closure. They criticised the introduction of a token system at the Kantani Hor border, calling it a significant barrier to trade that has worsened unemployment in the region. The protesters have called for the immediate removal of the token system and the restoration of unrestricted border trade.