Prime Minister Imran Khan said he had taken note of the Gwadar fishermen’s “quite genuine” requests and that he will take tough action against illegal trawler fishing in the area.
Locals in Gwadar responded to the prime minister’s tweet with a series of rallies, taking to the streets to demand that their rights be respected.
“I’ve taken note of the extremely reasonable expectations of Gwadar’s diligent fisherman. Will take severe action against trawler fishing that is unlawful, and will also meet with Balochistan’s chief minister “The prime minister sent out a tweet.
For the last two weeks, Gwadar has seen protests, with thousands of women and children speaking out against the big trawlers.
Locals claim that trawlers illegally exploiting the Arabian seabed are making it more difficult for fisherman to fish in the area.
Residents in the area rely on fishing as one of their primary sources of income. “It’s gotten difficult to run the kitchen anymore,” one of the demonstrators, Rehana Gul, told Geo.tv. “There have been days in the last three or four years when my husband, who is a fisherman, has returned empty-handed with no money to feed our children.”
Despite local fishermen’s objections against the fleets, neither the Gwadar Development Authority nor the Balochistan government have responded.
The assistant deputy commissioner, Anis Tarique Gorgej, stated that the local government is in contact with the demonstrators and that all of their issues would be handled.
“”We’re already working to halt the trawlers and make trade easier at the Iranian border,” Gorgej added. “However, meeting all of the expectations will take time.”