Islamabad: Thousands of people are protesting over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gwadar city of Balochistan in Pakistan. According to reports, locals are staging these demonstrations because they are against unnecessary outposts and heavy power shortages as well as China's billions of dollars in belt and road projects. Along with this, the local people are also angry about the threat posed to livelihood by the poaching of fish. Protesters say that they have also been deprived of basic amenities like health and education.
According to the report, the local people's protest over their demands continued for the third day on Saturday (November 20, 2021). The rally called 'Give Rights to Gwadar' by the people of Gwadar was led by Maulana Hedayat-ur-Rahman, Provincial General Secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Balochistan. Maulana Hedayat said the protest will continue till their demands are met. He said the government is not serious about solving the problems of the local people living in the area. Rahman has lashed out at the government in the past for failing to solve the basic problems of the people of Gwadar.
The protesters demand that all non-essential checkpoints should be removed and illegal fishing should be stopped, which is causing great harm to local fishermen. A delegation sent by Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, CM of Pakistan's Balochistan province, also failed to convince the protesters. The protesters say that they will continue to protest until the government accepts their demands.
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