Pakistan: Baloch Yakjehti Committee leads protest against Gwadar fencing
May 16, 2024
Quetta [Pakistan], May 16 : In a display of opposition, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) organised a protest and announced a forthcoming conference to denounce the alleged increased militarisation of the region, with a fence being built around the port of Gwadar.
The protest, held at the Javed Complex in Gwadar, underscored the BYC's resistance against what they perceive as exploitative policies by the state aimed at displacing indigenous inhabitants.
The BYC's resistance movement denounces the fencing of Gwadar as detrimental to the livelihoods and security of the local populace.
Highlighting the plight of those affected by enforced disappearances and recent floods that ravaged the region, the committee contends that the fencing serves the interests of external stakeholders while disregarding the welfare of indigenous communities.
Notably, the BYC launched a social media campaign with the hashtag #StopFencingGwadar to garner support for their cause and amplify their message on digital platforms. In a bid to galvanize broader support and foster dialogue, the BYC announced plans for a comprehensive conference at the Quetta Press Club.
Titled "Fencing Gwadar: From Mega Project to Mega Prison," the conference aims to convene a diverse array of stakeholders including educators, journalists, legal experts, political activists, and researchers.
https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1790802210676425133
The conference agenda is set to encompass multifaceted discussions on the social, political, and economic ramifications of Gwadar's fencing on indigenous communities.
Topics such as the militarization of Gwadar in the context of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the implications of local and international laws on the fencing project, strategies for resistance, and efforts to mobilize international support will take centre stage.
The BYC's concerted efforts signify a grassroots mobilization against what they perceive as the marginalization of indigenous voices in the development narrative of Gwadar.
As tensions escalate over the fencing project, the committee's initiatives signal a determined stand to safeguard the rights and interests of Gwadar's native inhabitants amidst a landscape of rapid transformation and geopolitical manoeuvring.
