ISLAMABAD: A multi-party conference (MPC) hosted by the Balochistan National Party-Mengal on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project approved over a dozen resolutions, mostly concerning the people of Gwadar.

The resolutions were read out by Isa Noori, a BNP-M MNA from Gwadar.

Following is the text of the resolutions:

• Complete control of the Gwadar Port Mega Project should be handed over to Balochistan in accordance with the Constitution. The ownership rights and powers to make decisions on the resources of Balochistan should be accepted.

• The unanimous resolution passed at the MPC convened by the prime minister on May 28, 2015, should be implemented in letter and spirit. The western route of the CPEC should be completed first and people living in undeveloped areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan must get benefit from all the ingredients attached to the CPEC.

• Concrete policy should be framed and legislation carried out to prevent Baloch people from turning into a minority by imposing a complete ban on the issuance of identity cards, local certificates and passports from Gwadar to new settlers so that their names are not included in electoral rolls.

• Facilities of clean drinking water, infrastructure, hospitals, schools, technical colleges and centres for skilled persons related to the port and a maritime university should be established and people of Gwadar should be preferred in them.

• People of Gwadar should be preferred in appointments at Gwadar Port and related mega projects.

• In order to prevent local fishermen from economic deprivation, alternative ways of earning should be provided. All restrictions on people of Gwadar, including an unannounced ban on political activities, should be removed and they should be allowed freedom of movement.

• People of Gwadar should be provided free medical facilities, technical training in foreign countries and scholarships in reputed educational institutions in other provinces.

• In order to overcome Gwadar’s backwardness, its residents should be given free education and health facilities. They should be given immunity on taxes and utility bills for three years.

• The MPC condemns confiscation of thousands of kanals of ancestral land of local people and demands that it should be returned to their real owners.

• There should be legislation to ensure partnership of local people in investment projects in Gwadar.

• Locals should be inducted into security forces to protect their rights and self-respect.

• The conference rejects the proposal to shift the old and traditional city of Gwadar to another place and demands its complete development on a priority basis.

• The MPC condemns issuance of new cards to citizens and opposes a policy of dividing the people of Gwadar.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2016