Women protesters in Pakistan's Gwadar demand release of Maulana Hidayatur Rehman amid anti-Chinese sentiments

New Delhi: Hundreds of women in Gwadar, a coastal town in Balochistan, have taken to the streets to protest the arrest of Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, the leader of the "Haq Do Tehreek" (HDT) movement. 

The protests, marked by anti-establishment slogans and demands for the release of the detained leader, reflect growing discontent with China's presence in the region through its China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project (CPEC). As one of the main hubs of the CPEC, Gwadar has attracted significant investment from China, but local communities feel they have yet to benefit from the economic growth and development that the project promised.

Maulana Hidayatur Rehman has become a symbol of hope for the people of Gwadar, and his arrest has sparked outrage among his followers and supporters. Despite the crackdown on the HDT movement, the protests have been largely peaceful, with women leading the demonstrations through the central streets of Gwadar.

However, tensions have been mounting since January 2023, when a siege-like situation occurred in the town due to unrest caused by a crackdown on protesting locals. The ongoing protests suggest that anti-China sentiments are rising in Gwadar.

Locals have been demanding an end to illegal trawling in the sea off Gwadar's coast, a reduction of security checkpoints in the region, recovery of missing persons, and an easing of curbs on border trade with Iran. There is also a growing resentment against China's belt and road projects in the Country.

The Dawn newspaper quoting one of the protestors, Faiza, who participated in the rally, said: "I joined the rally because there seems to be no end to the misery of my Baloch brothers. The HDT chief has given us the courage to stand up for our rights."

The arrest of Haq Do Tehreek (HDT) chief Maulana Hidayatur Rehman in mid-January led to violence and imposition of section 144 in the town. After the lifting of section 144 in the city, protests are back in the streets of Gwadar.

Maasi Zainab, Gwadar's known female face, said their genuine agitation had grabbed the nation's attention for over a year since Maulana took the stand for the residents' rights.

While commenting on the arrest of Maulana, she added, "He is being punished for speaking out against the injustice meted out to the people of Gwadar," Maasi Zainab said while speaking to Dawn near the deep-sea port.

"Our fishermen were not allowed to go to the sea due to security considerations. Families had to go without a square meal for days together. Protestors said that the state does not bother to meet the citizens' basic needs like water, electricity, education, and health.

Last year also, protests erupted in Gwadar against a severe shortage of water and electricity and threats to livelihoods. The protestors also demand to stop Chinese trawlers from illegally fishing in the nearby waters and then taking the fish to China.

Following the announcement of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in 2015, of which Gwadar is the centrepiece, the number of checkpoints grew manifold in this town. It puts restrictions on the locals' movement. Though several drop gates have been removed, locals still feel there needs to be more interference.

In the past, there have been attacks on Chinese nationals living in and around Gwadar town. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA), accusing the Chinese of exploiting Baluchistan's mineral resources.

People were given hope that they would be given jobs and good life and that their living standards would go up with the CPEC projects. But it has reversed where even small fishermen are not allowed to enter the sea near the port.

Presently the Gwadar port is a Chinese control and backed project given to a Chinese company for a lease of 40 years. It is part of China's mammoth belt and road initiative, stretching over 80 countries to give China a trade route from east Asia to Europe.

The Pakistan government accepted China's investment hoping it would help boost the Country's ailing economy. With the current inflation and breakdown of the Country's economy, the signs of resentment at belt and road are growing across the Country.

Nine Chinese workers were killed in August 2021 a suicide attacker rammed a convoy heading out to work on the Dasu dam, another flagship CPEC project.

China's ambassador to Pakistan was also targeted in a terrorist attack on his hotel in April 2021 though he was not hurt.

The people of Gwadar feel their identity and ownership of their homeland are under threat. They believe the rapid influx of Chinese workers and business people may destroy their identity by causing demographic change. Baluchistan is Pakistan's most undeveloped and neglected region.