LAHORE: A resolution in the Punjab Assembly has urged the federal government to accept the demands of the people of Gwadar without any delay.

PML-N MPA Samiullah Khan submitted the resolution in the PA on Thursday. It said this House demanded from the federal government to listen to the grievances of the people of Gwadar who had been protesting for the last many days and address their problems on a priority basis.

The resolution said it was a matter of concern that the protesters included a large number of women and children and they had taken to the street for their just demands. Gwadar played an important role in the progress of the country and ignoring its residents would not be wise on the part of the government, it said and demanded that the federal government must act immediately to improve the law and order situation after redressing the grievances of the protesters.

A large number of women along with their children had been taking to the street of the port city since Monday last in solidarity with the movement launched for the rights of the people of Gwadar and other areas of Makran. The demonstrators including women who reached Gwadar city from Turbat, Ormara, Jewani, Pasni and other areas of Gwadar district, staged a sit-in. The protesters say the people of Gwadar have been deceived in the name of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) as they have not benefited from it.

Besides, fishermen have been deprived of earning their livelihood, a ban imposed on border trade and people are not getting health, education, water supply and other basic amenities. Similarly, they said drug mafia was running drugs and liquor business with the connivance of the local administration due to which the youth were becoming drug addicts and the provincial government was doing nothing to abolish liquor shops and act against the drugs business.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2021