After over a month of strong protest by the people of Gwadar demanding their fundamental rights, Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, the protesters’ leader, Thursday called off the protest following successful negotiations with the provincial government. Balochistan Minister for Planning and Development Zahoor Buledi tweeted that negotiations between the government and Secretary General of Balochistan Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman took place in the presence of Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo. “Negotiations with Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman in the presence of CM have been successful. The govt has accepted all demands of Maulana Sb and the dharna is to be called off,” he said. In a statement, the chief minister said all the demands of protesters were legitimate adding that the government’s priority was to provide them with opportunities for growth and make basic necessities available to them, says a news report. Gwadar’s citizens had a long list of demands, including shortage of drinking water, poor state of health and education facilities, and the impact of large trawlers on the fishermen’s earning. Earlier in the day, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar visited Gwadar on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan alongside Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority chief Khalid Mansoor. Speaking to the media after attending a meeting chaired by the chief minister, Asad said it was his understanding that the protests would finish “in a day or two”. However, Minister for Planning and Development Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi announced on Twitter shortly after that negotiations with Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman had been successful. Meanwhile, Rehman took to the stage at the site of the protest to call off the sit-in. The chief minister visited the site informed the protesters that their demands had been accepted. Addressing the protesters, Bizenjo said a complete ban had been imposed on illegal fishing and directions had been issued to the departments concerned.