KARACHI: A credibility problem exists between the rulers and the people regarding the development of Gwadar town, with deep-rooted suspicions on both sides. This reporter went to the town after a gap of more than 20 years and surprisingly found little change in the lifestyle of the average local resident. But one could not miss how some people have become prosperous overnight due to plans for turning Gwadar into a deep sea port and the emergence of a real estate business. You can see expensive cars on the town’s mud roads and houses coming up that look more like palaces. You also find a few official buildings that have come up recently.

But as far as the basic problems of the people — the present population is estimated at 50,000 — are concerned, they are same that existed years ago such as shortage of drinking water and the absence of a sewerage disposal and drainage system. The major thoroughfares are paved while the rest of the roads are unpaved, full of potholes and ditches.

While talking to Gwadar’s residents, you notice that they are unmoved or unconcerned about the media buzz about their town, which is being projected by some as a second Dubai. Such pronouncements do not mean much to them since for years they have been living below the poverty line.

A resident said that if the government was really interested in the development of Gwadar, it must first take confidence building measures by initiating steps to improve the general living conditions of the town’s residents.

A survey shows that Gwadar town is almost entirely confined to the area near the Fish Harbour on a narrow linear strip between the East Bay and the West Bay. It consists of old traditional houses. Most of the structures are made of concrete blocks and built haphazardly with no intra-city road network.

The source of drinking water is the Akra Kaur dam. However, the water distribution system that Gwadar has is a mess. Some areas have piped water while others are provided water from community reservoirs. The electricity system is erratic.

However, three notable developments have taken place recently. Gwadar now has an operational airport. Then, the scenic Mekran Coastal Highway has been completed, linking the town with Karachi. The first phase of the deep-sea port is complete and work on the second phase is in progress.

With improved communications, there are bright prospects that Gwadar can become an important trading centre in the future provided civic facilities get proper attention.

A majority of the local population is involved in fishing but lately commercial activities have picked up, based on goods brought from Iran. These consist of dried fruits, canned fruits, vegetables, soaps, shampoos, detergents, water coolers, ghee, cooking oil, plastic goods, shoes, acrylic blankets and carpets. Even daily provisions still come from Iran. The coastal highway will take time to develop as a conduit of goods to Gwadar.

The local fishing sector is unorganized. In the absence of modern cold storage processing and packing facilities, the fishermen are unable to compete internationally.

Land development schemes have been initiated and allotments have been made, but since the government has no clear-cut land policy, local people are unhappy with land allotment.

The situation, it is felt, demands that the government should set out clear-cut policy guidelines for the development of housing projects to avoid unnecessary legal complications and, at the same time, it should remove all suspicious in the mind of the people that the use of land in Gwadar is meant for the benefit of a few.

A senior citizen of the town complained of a number of irregularities in the allotment of land, saying that in some cases, a plot had been allotted to more than five people without the knowledge of the original land owner.

A resident of Iranian Balochistan, Ali Mohammad Baloch, told this reporter that a part of his land was sold without his knowledge and when he approached the revenue officials, he was informed that there was no official record of his land.

Residents suggest that it is the responsibility of the government to evaluate all the previous land use options and provide comprehensive guidelines for the development of urban, industrial and port-related activities, their location and allocations.

There are also reports that the government plans to shift the old town to some other place because its present location could create pressures and hurdles in the transportation of cargo passing through Gwadar.

People say that whatever plans the government has regarding the development of Gwadar should be made public and elected representatives of Balochistan must be taken into confidence. The attitude of the coastguards is also often cited as a reason for resentment. Because of the trade from Iran, it is said that it is easy for the coastguards staff to harass innocent people. Their attitude is described as high-handed.

The authority must realize that they have presented with an opportunity to create a brand new town. A master plan should be drawn up not only for Gwadar but the entire 80-km coastal belt to develop the area as a model of harmonizing commercialism with a civilized way of living, with the welfare pf the community as the base.