The ethnic Baloch community in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has been carrying out a major protest movement that has its heart in the port city of Gwadar. Grievances about purported violations of human rights, forced disappearances, and the exploitation of the abundant resources of the province have been the main causes of this unrest.
As the only deep-water port in Pakistan on the Arabian Sea, Gwadar plays a crucial role in the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This makes it strategically significant from both an economic and geopolitical standpoint.
Who is leading the Balochistan protests?
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) arranged protests to draw attention to these issues, which ignited the current wave of protests.
The Baloch community, including around 15 million individuals among Pakistan’s 240 million inhabitants, has historically experienced marginalization and exploitation due to the province’s abundant natural resources, such as gas, oil, coal, gold, copper, and coal, being disproportionately utilized by the federal government.
Since Pakistan’s independence in 1947, there have been at least five significant insurgencies as a result of this long-standing animosity occasionally escalating into separatist sentiments. The most recent uprising, which demanded more autonomy and more equitable distribution of the province’s resources, started in the early 2000s.
Why have the Baloch protests intensified?
The BYC’s demand for a “Baloch Rajee Muchi,” or Baloch National Gathering, was the catalyst for the sharp increase in tension in Gwadar in recent days.
One protester was killed and numerous others were injured after security forces erected barricades and allegedly opened fire on a convoy in Mastung area as demonstrators tried to gather in Gwadar.
“The paramilitary force opened fire on a convoy comprising hundreds of people, including women and children, who were travelling from Quetta to Gwadar,” BYC representative Bebarg Baloch told Al Jazeera.
The protests spread to other towns in Balochistan, including the provincial capital Quetta, Kech, and Mastung, as demonstrators demanded the release of the arrested individuals.
Speaking to a gathering in Gwadar, BYC leader Mahrang Baloch emphasized the community’s resolve.
“By blocking highways and arresting our people, the state and its institutions have tried to prevent us from holding this gathering, but today the entire Gwadar is here to send a message: we will not tolerate further oppression of the Baloch nation,” the speaker declared.
Pakistan military and government response to Balochistan unrest
Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister of Balochistan, denounced the demonstrations and implied that they were a part of a “conspiracy” to obstruct the advancement and development of the area.
Although citizens have the right to congregate, he argued that this right should not be used to disrupt public order. Additionally, Bugti stated that the government was amenable to discussion.
Human rights groups have criticized the way the Pakistani government has handled the matter. Amnesty International demanded that the “brutal crackdown” stop and that all those who had been detained be released right away.
In a similar vein, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) denounced the disproportionate use of force as well as the disruption of mobile and internet connections, which impeded media coverage and communication.
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How have Balochistan protests hit China?
Gwadar’s involvement in CPEC, the centerpiece project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to improve regional connectivity and trade, highlights the strategic significance of the region. Gwadar Port, which opened in 2016, has been hailed as a “game-changer” for China and Pakistan, with the potential to revolutionize the regional economy and increase bilateral trade.
Unfortunately, these goals have become more difficult due to the continuous turmoil and security concerns. The region’s larger problems, such as the lack of local participation in significant projects and the sense of being taken advantage of by the national government and international investors, have come to light as a result of the protests and the government crackdown that followed.
The recent history of violence and insecurity in the area, which has witnessed attacks on Chinese employees and projects, exacerbates this unhappiness.
The Pakistani government is under pressure to protect Chinese nationals and investments due to the return of terrorism from both Islamist terrorists and Baloch separatists.
China’s Consul General in Lahore, Zhao Shiren, was informed on Monday by Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi about the security measures being implemented to safeguard Chinese interests in Balochistan.
The protests have brought the suffering of the Baloch people and the happenings in Pakistan’s most resource-rich but economically marginalized province to the attention of the international community.
