RECENTLY, the Chinese and Pakistani prime ministers inaugurated the Gwadar International Airport — virtually from Islamabad. From a development perspective, the airport is a useful addition and set to enhance the aerial connectivity of the emerging port city with the larger region. Better aviation facilities will allow both domestic and foreign visitors to conveniently access Gwadar. The airport shall also enable a swift response to disasters — recall the rain and flooding in Gwadar not too long ago.

However, despite this and other infrastructural development initiatives, Gwadar’s overall progress appears stymied — even though the city was touted as a core beneficiary of CPEC for over a decade. Its privileged position in this context is clear from the extension and consolidation of the port infrastructure, projects related to freshwater generation and distribution, the Pak China Friendship Hospital, a technical and vocational institute, as well as the preparation of the Gwadar smart port city master plan. So, when so much development work is being carried out, why do the residents of Gwadar and its adjacent areas seem unhappy?

A study by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund reveals that Gwadar is lagging behind in almost all core social indicators. Only 21 per cent of small children have been immunised; 25pc of children of school-going age are out of school — 46pc of these are girls; 46pc of schools in the district do not have functional toilets; drinking water is available in only 51pc of the schools.

Besides, housing quality is extremely dismal. Only 5pc of homes are constructed with reinforced concrete, while others are built with mud and other unsuitable material. Only 18pc of residents have access to gas; most use firewood, kerosene and charcoal as fuel.

The overall progress of this port city appears stymied.

Livelihood conditions are also challenging. Over two-thirds of the people are directly or indirectly connected with fishing, net repairs, boat construction and repairs, transportation, storage of the catch of the day, etc. The people barely live above subsistence level, and have no opportunity to build assets to improve their lives.

The sale and purchase of developed, semi-developed and underdeveloped land is another visible enterprise. People with financial resources are able to monopolise the acquisition of land for future utilisation and investment purposes. It is of little benefit to ordinary folk who neither have savings nor the capacity to undertake land development ventures. The recent rains and flash floods have caused colossal damage to the life and property of people in the district and beyond. Many households are still reeling from the after-effects.

The worsening law and order situation has compounded the miseries of Gwadar’s residents. It is common for unknown assailants to emerge from nowhere, kill and maim innocent people, and then disappear. The regular police control a fraction of the district. The Levies, Frontier Constabulary and other formations are entrusted with the responsibility of securing the area.

More than seven decades of political alienation, mistrust between the state and the people, and the presence of clandestine agents of external invisible powers continue to haunt society.

When acts of violence and disturbance cease, an uneasy calm prevails. Scores of missing people — young and elderly — are a lingering legacy in almost every household. The new leadership, whether in the form of the Haq Do Tehreek or the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, are at the forefront of the political and social dynamics of Gwadar and larger Balochistan.

With practically no voice in matters of local governance or the day-to-day running of the area, the people of Gwa­dar often consider the emblems of re­­gional development — such as the new airport or port complex — as a rude joke. Whether it was the

PPP party’s Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochistan package or subsequent development dole-outs, little to no benefit has trickled down to the common folk due to the unresolved discord between the core stakeholders.

Saner voices have suggested that the only way forward to ensure real development in Gwadar is for the authorities to engage with the local people in a serious and meaningful way.

Development priorities must be set in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the public.

A small step in this direction could be the launch of ventures to support the local fishermen and boating community. Building cold storages for their catch, constructing boat repair yards and upscaling fishing jetties can be the first step. Locational choices must be made where the fishermen have an advantage. The city’s master plan must yield to local preferences in land utilisation. It is the residents of Gwadar who must win.

The writer is an academic and researcher based in Karachi.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2024