Just in line with the long, long list of previous experiences with clashing horns with the state and forcing them to realise they too exist, people in Gwadar are back on the roads. The protestors’ demands include an end to illegal fishing, which threatens to erase local fishermen and a reduction in security checkpoints in the city.
This time, however, the intensity is far too strong to be swept under the rug. Despite deploying more than 5000 police officers, the protests proved too large for the state to contain; quickly entering mainstream politics with political parties all over the country rallying in support of the protestors.
The much-hailed projects in the underbelly of the country have yet to fulfil their promise. There has not been a marked increase in local employment. For the last seven decades, those sitting in Islamabad have been content with passionate pictorials that do not deliver on the ground. Trawlers are fast depleting the fish stocks that many in Balochistan rely on for their livelihoods. No matter what the lofty reports may proclaim, the sweeteners of economic activity do not trickle down to the masses, which are increasingly exasperated; harbouring a deep sense of hostility towards the provincial government.
Pakistan’s shortsightedness in wealth concentration is beginning to haunt it already. If anyone had assumed that the downtrodden areas would continue to live in the dark ages, they were terribly mistaken. Gaining access to technology transfers, attracting foreign investments and laying the groundwork for a prosperous economy could only work if those standing on the ground played an active part in the resurgence. Clearly, decision-makers in Islamabad underestimated the level of political awareness in Gwadar and built their plans around the myth that mere goodwill would be sufficient to magically solve all problems.
In a surprising turn of events, the state appeared willing to sit at the deliberations table. But this sharp divergence from the usual policy of neglecting civil unrest might still not pacify the locals, who have grown accustomed to the government’s empty promises. It is highly doubtful that Pakistani authorities will take any steps to guarantee jobs to locals or even prevent the depletion of the region’s resources. Alienating the biggest province is the order of the day. However, Islamabad needs to snap out of the ostrich routine, if not for the amelioration of its citizens then for the revival of its crown jewel, game-changer CPEC. *