Baloch Yakjehti Committee denounce Gwadar fencing, calls project attempts to open prison for locals

Gwadar [Pakistan], May 18 : Baloch Yakjeheti Committee (BYC), a Baloch rights organization from Balochistan, organized a day-long conference in Quetta Press Club on Saturday highlighting the issue of erecting a wall of barbed fencing around Gwadar city, calling it a project to open prison for locals.

The fencing project, if and when completed, will cut off the heart of Gwadar city. China, which is worried about the safety of its men and machines stationed at the strategic Gwadar port, has forced the Pakistanis to create a divide in Gwadar restricting the local Balochis from travelling within the city.

The conference witnessed participation from Baloch rights activists, journalists, students, panelists locals and intellectuals. Initially, the BYC announced organizing the conference at the Quetta Press Club. However, several reports after the announcement pointed out that Pakistan's defense personnel blocked the entrances of the Press Club.

In a post on X, prominent Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch stated, "Authorities locked the press club gate, violating its sanctity, just before the event began. We raised the issue with the press club administration but were told that the press club office bearers have no control over civil administration and authorities. The assistant commissioner of Quetta is creating trouble on behalf of powerful agencies."

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In a video statement, Mahrang Baloch stated that conference panellists are standing outside, however, the press club has been locked. She highlighted the issues faced by the people of Balochistan.

Baloch stated, "Our conference panellists are standing outside but the press club has been locked. The District Collector and the Assistant Commissioner are present here and have taken orders from the defence forces not to let this event happen."

"If Pakistan claims that there is no fencing of Gwadar city, then why is there so much resistance against organizing this event? This is the level of freedom of expression in Balochistan, the head of the press club and the press secretary have been captured within the premises of the Press Club, and a peaceful conference is being interrupted," she added.

The BYC said that later, the defence forces were eventually revoked and the BYC was able to organize the conference on Gwadar fencing. During the event, activists like writer and activist Mohammad Ali Talpur in a speech on CPEC highlighted Gwadar fencing and its geopolitical impact on Balochistan.

In a post on X, the BYC stated, "The full-day conference #COFG2024 organized by BYC has been successfully continuing at the Quetta Press Club, where esteemed guests and participants are present. This gathering has facilitated insightful and critical discussions and meaningful exchanges on the critical issue of fencing Gwadar."

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"We are grateful to our scholars, lawyers, and political activists who have gathered here to play their positive role in the struggle against the apartheid and oppressive regime, and their policies of segregation and division of Gwadar. However, the administration and the so-called law enforcement agencies are barring some participants from joining the conference," it added.

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In another statement shared on X, the BYC stated that Quetta's district administration has blocked the entrance to the Press Club and stopped participants from joining the conference. It said that state institutions justify their environment of terror

In another statement on the same, the BYC stated "The district administration of Quetta has blocked the entrance of the Press Club and barred participants from joining the conference. On every occasion, state institutions justify their environment of terror, which they have maintained for decades. Voices are suppressed, people are abducted and killed, and they cannot tolerate a peaceful academic conference. Every means of expression has been sanctioned. Meanwhile, they are brutally plundering resources and selling them to foreigners."

Previously, the BYC organized a protest at the Javed Complex in Gwadar as BYC's resistance against what they perceive as exploitative policies by the state aimed at displacing indigenous inhabitants.

The BYC's resistance movement denounces the fencing of Gwadar as detrimental to the livelihoods and security of the local populace.

Highlighting the plight of those affected by enforced disappearances and recent floods that ravaged the region, the committee contends that the fencing serves the interests of external stakeholders while disregarding the welfare of indigenous communities.

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