QUETTA: Maulana Hidayatur Rehman Baloch, who led the Gwadar rights movement, has threatened to close the Gwadar port from July 21 if the demands agreed by the provincial government are not fulfilled.

Speaking at a press conference recently, the maulana, who is also provincial general secretary of the Jamaat-i-Islami, said the port would be closed as a protest as the government is not fulfilling it promises made in the agreement signed in April this year for ending a month-long sit-in in the port city.

He said that the main demands of the Gwadar rights movement were: free the coast of Balochistan from trawler mafia, open border points in Gwadar, eliminate drug trafficking and remove unnecessary check-posts.

He said Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo came to Gwadar and made promises to rid the coast of Balochistan of the trawler mafia, open crossing points in Gwadar, eliminate drug trafficking, remove security forces’ checkposts and trace missing persons.

He criticised the opposition parties in Balochistan, saying that they have not raised their voice for the rights of the people of Balochistan. They did not raise objections even when the agreement for Reko Diq project was signed.

The maulana claimed that the law and order situation in Makran and Panjgur is deteriorating and in order to control it, the government must remove Frontier Corps from the province.

He said the doors for dialogue are always open.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2022