QUETTA: The Balochistan government has imposed a ban with immediate effect on illegal fishing by trawlers from other provinces and also from foreign countries in coastal areas of Balochistan.

Official sources said on Monday that the government had started fulfilling demands of the ongoing protest movement in Gwadar titled Gwadar Ko Huqooq Do Tehreek (Gwadar Movement for Rights).

They said Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has issued directives in this regard.

The headquarters of the DG Fisheries has immediately been shifted from Quetta to Gwadar to solve the problems of local fishermen, officials of the Balochistan government said.

According to them, patrols of the Fisheries Department and other agencies have started efforts to curb illegal fishing in Balochistan’s coastal areas. The token system for the local fishermen which allowed them to go to the sea for fishing has been abolished and now they can start fishing in the sea without any permission

Govt starts fulfilling demands of Gwadar campaign for rights

“All unnecessary check-posts in Gwadar have been removed,” according to the home department sources.

The officials said all liquor shops in Gwadar have been closed. Gadani has been completely handed over to the district administration and all interventions have been stopped. With the cooperation of the federal government, a border market in Mand near the Pak-Iran border has been established, they added.

They said soon work would start for establishing border markets in some areas of Makran division. The federal government, they added, has allocated Rs600 million for completion of this project.

Vice chancellor for Gwadar University has been appointed and classes in the university will start soon.

They said the process for deployment of non-teaching staff in educational institutions of Gwadar has been completed and orders in this regard would be issued soon. All medical stores in Gwadar have been inspected by officials concerned to prevent the sale of counterfeit medicines.

According to the officials, CM Bizenjo has written a letter to Qesco officials in which he has informed them that Gwadar has been declared a disaster-hit area, therefore, all outstanding electricity dues would be withdrawn.

They said the personnel of Pakistan Coast Guards have seized only two vehicles for which an FIR has been registered. The case is pending in the court and a legal team has been formed to deal with the issue.

According to the officials, the supply of safe drinking water has started in Gwadar and other areas. The project for providing safe drinking water in Jiwani would be completed soon, they added.

They said a special desk has been formed at the office of the Gwadar’s deputy commissioner for giving preference to the local people in jobs in Gwadar Port and projects of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor. In this regard, they added, applications have been sought from the unemployed local people.

The officials said compensation has been paid to all victims of Darbila while a place is being allotted to them for providing alternative land. Compensation of Rs14.5 million has been paid to expressway victims while special measures have been taken to ensure registration of names of the remaining victims.

They said the case against Maulana Hidayatur Rehman and other participants of the Gwadar Ko Huqooq Do Tehreek has been withdrawn and a summary for the removal of the names of some protesters from the Fourth Schedule List has been referred to the provincial cabinet.

The officials said surveys have been conducted to find out damage caused by the recent hurricane. The matter of the payment of compensation has been referred to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and orders have been issued to ensure early payment, they said.

On the demand of the protesters, the Gwadar Development Authority’s director general and Gwadar’s deputy commissioner have been transferred and replaced by the most capable officers of the province.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2021