In Pakistan’s Gwadar, role of women ‘like oxygen’ in keeping month-long protests alive

In this undated photo, 70-year-old Zainab Baloch is seen with protest leader Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman during a demonstration in Gwadar, Pakistan. (Photo Courtesy: Sameera Siddique)
Short Url
Updated 19 December 2021
Follow

In Pakistan’s Gwadar, role of women ‘like oxygen’ in keeping month-long protests alive

  • Zainab Baloch, a widow with three children, is a local poet whose melodious verses have inspired thousands
  • Women of Gwadar played a vital role in prolonging movement for basic rights, acted as human shields for men

GWADAR: While Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, a cleric from Gwadar, became the face of a month-long protest movement in the port city, it was a local woman poet who inspired thousands with her melodious verses and was the first to come out in protest against projects in the area that locals believe have robbed them of their livelihoods.
Gwadar is home to China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative port project in Pakistan’s impoverished southwestern province of Balochistan, a sparsely populated, mountainous, desert region bordering Afghanistan and Iran. Despite its strategic significance, the locals of Balochistan — and Gwadar — have long complained Chinese presence and investment in the area has done little to improve their lives.
In mid-November, Gwadar erupted in protests against illegal trawling, a growing drugs trade and the lack of basic facilities like health and education. The movement continued under the banner of “Give Gwadar its Rights,” with daily sit-ins and demonstrations taking place for nearly a month — until this Thursday when protesters called off the movement after assurances from the provincial government that their demands would be met.
Women, locals and analysts say, have been instrumental in the success of the movement.
Earlier this week, it was the 70-year-old poetess Zainab Baloch, affectionately called Massi or Amma Zaini in the port city, who acted as a human shield to protect Hidayat-ur-Rehman when police tried to arrest him while he was leading a demonstration.
“Amma Zaini has always motivated women through her poems,” Sameera Siddique, a teacher and local leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party to which Hidayat-ur-Rehman belongs, told Arab News, saying the poet was a widow with two married daughters and an unemployed son who lived with her. “She has a following among both the elderly and young women of the area.”




Hundreds of women participate in a protest in Gwadar, Pakistan, on December 10, 2021. (AN Photo/Naveed Muhammad)

According to Siddique and other local intellectuals, Baloch was the first to object to the construction of an expressway to connect the port to a major coastal highway, for which authorities “dug up a trench, which made the sea inaccessible to local fishermen.” 
“Amma Zaini started protesting and recorded a message for the Maulana who was traveling to Quetta. This is how the protest actually kicked off,” Siddique said, “on a woman’s call who does not have any political affiliations.”
Locals and experts say life has become more difficult for Gwadar residents as the emergence of Chinese infrastructure development projects increased the presence of security forces in the area and of the number of check posts, which have restricted the movement of locals. 
Residents say the Chinese project also robbed them of their primary source of livelihood, fishing, as giant fishing trawlers have come in through the Arabian Sea, resulting in the closure of a majority of fish processing factories. China has said it is willing to work with the Pakistan government to ensure the benefits of CPEC projects trickle down to locals.
Speaking to Arab News, poetess Baloch said it was due to these factors that people came out of their homes and a protest movement was launched. 
“Give us our sea, give us our livelihood,” she said. “We don’t need anything else.” 




In this ariel view of Gwadar, Pakistan, women can be seen marching on Marine Drive Road, a major thoroughfare in the city, on November 30, 2021. (AN Photo/Naveed Muhammad)

Asked about her role in the movement, she said her strength were other women of the city and region.
“When the police started closing in on protesters at one point, I summoned the women who have always accompanied me,” she said. “Most of them have always been at the forefront of protests to secure people’s rights and have stood shoulder to shoulder with men.”
For example, thousands of women stepped out of the comfort of their homes on December 10 and came to the site of a sit-in to prevent authorities from removing the camp and arrest protesting men who had been occupying a major thoroughfare that runs parallel to the seashore.
“It was the fear of hunger that brought women out in such large numbers,” Siddique told Arab News. “They could see that their men were rendered workless by the authorities.”
Local analyst Nasir Rahim Sohrabi said women served as a key part of the protests because women in the coastal districts, especially Gwadar, were more educated and aware than in other areas of Balochistan province.
“The protesting women belong to different backgrounds, but a large number of them were teachers and students,” he said. “Even the women who have not gone to school in Gwadar are equally well informed.”
Young women of Gwadar were also a vital part of the movement, skillfully using social media to amplify the protesters’ demands. 




Women gather in protest in Gwadar, Pakistan, on November 30, 2021. (AN photo/Naveed Muhammad)

“It was not the first time that I highlighted the issues of my province, especially my city Gwadar, on social media platforms,” Zainab Aslam, a young teacher at a private school, told Arab News. “My sisters and I tried to create awareness about our movement and enlist the support of other women and young people.”
“The role of women in keeping our movement alive,” she added, “was like oxygen.”


In rare message, Imran Khan’s wife says he won’t seek revenge if back in power

Updated 13 sec ago
Follow

In rare message, Imran Khan’s wife says he won’t seek revenge if back in power

  • Bushra Bibi says the protest date will only change from Nov. 24 if Khan shares another public course of action
  • Her message marks a rare foray into the public eye, underscoring her emerging role as a central PTI figure

ISLAMABAD: In a rare public message on Thursday, Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan’s jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan, assured state institutions he harbors no plans for revenge upon returning to power, as she rallied support for a protest planned by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) next week.
The PTI is organizing the rally in Islamabad on November 24, demanding Khan’s release, who has been in prison since August last year following his arrest on corruption charges.
The protest also aims to highlight the party’s allegations of electoral rigging in the February 8 general elections. The planned demonstration reflects the deepening political polarization in Pakistan, with Khan’s supporters and other political factions locked in an increasingly bitter political conflict.
Khan’s combative rhetoric against state institutions, including the powerful military— whom he has accused of orchestrating his ouster in an April 2022 no-confidence vote— has further entrenched divisions.
Despite his incarceration, Khan has remained defiant, which many interpret as evidence of his determination to seek retribution against rivals if he regains power. In her video message, however, Bibi dismissed the perceptions, emphasizing Khan’s commitment to forgiveness and unity.
“I want to tell the [state] institutions that it is completely wrong to think that Khan will take revenge on anyone,” she said in the video. “Khan says taking revenge on people after coming into power is akin to inviting God’s displeasure.”
“He has said that the time he has spent in jail has brought him closer to God,” she continued. “He has also said that he has learned that when you come into power, you should open the door to forgiveness, not the door to oppression.”
Bibi’s appeal marked a rare foray into the public eye, underscoring her emerging role as a central figure in the PTI’s efforts to build momentum for Khan’s release. She remained in the same jail with Khan in a case involving the illegal sale of state gifts before her release on bail in October.
Bibi called on party supporters to participate in the November 24 rally, saying there was no plan to change the protest date.
“The date can only be changed on one condition that Khan comes out and himself announces the next course of action to the public,” she said. “Otherwise, under no circumstances can the date of Nov. 24 be changed.”
Khan’s arrest and imprisonment have become a flashpoint for political tensions in Pakistan. The PTI alleges that the cases against Khan are politically motivated, aimed at sidelining the former premier and dismantling his party.
Meanwhile, the coalition government has taken measures to suppress PTI’s rallies, citing concerns over public safety and order, particularly in light of the planned protest in Islamabad.
Bibi asked people to come out and protest in her message, calling it their duty to fighter for the rule of law in the country.
 


Pakistan government open to talks with Imran Khan’s party, refuses to allow Nov. 24 protest

Updated 21 November 2024
Follow

Pakistan government open to talks with Imran Khan’s party, refuses to allow Nov. 24 protest

  • Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi says negotiations cannot take place amid ‘threats’ from PTI
  • He says it is not possible to allow a rally in Islamabad ahead of a Belarusian delegation visit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday suggested the government was open to talks with former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party but ruled out allowing its planned protest in Islamabad on November 24, ahead of a high-level visit by a Belarusian delegation.
The PTI has announced a “long march” to Islamabad on November 24, primarily demanding the release of Khan, who has been imprisoned since August last year on charges the party contends are politically motivated.
Additionally, the party’s protest is also meant to raise its voice against alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections while calling for measures to ensure judicial independence, which it believes has been undermined by the 26th constitutional amendment.
On Monday, Islamabad’s district magistrate imposed a two-month-long ban on gatherings of more than five people in the capital, invoking Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This provision allows the government to prohibit political assemblies, rallies, demonstrations, sit-ins and other activities for a specified period.
Addressing the media in Islamabad, the interior minister said the government was fully prepared to stop the protest, with Punjab police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC) troops assisting the Islamabad police in operational duties.
“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Barrister Gohar Khan met Imran Khan twice in the past two days,” Naqvi said, amid speculation that the PTI leaders discussed the option of negotiating with the government. “If they wish to initiate talks [with the government], they should do it. If they want to hold talks, they should tell us.”
The minister added, however, that no talks were possible if the PTI headed to Islamabad and “wielded sticks against us” on November 24.
“Let me tell you one thing: negotiations don’t take place with threats, though I personally feel talks should take place between everyone,” he said.
In response to a question, Naqvi clarified that no talks were currently underway with Khan, who is facing a new case related to violence at a PTI rally that took place in September while the ex-premier was in jail.
Highlighting the upcoming visit of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and his 10 cabinet ministers to Pakistan on a three-day visit next week, Naqvi said no permission could be granted for any rally or protest in the federal capital.
He added that a decision on whether to suspend mobile signals in Islamabad ahead of the protest would be finalized by Friday night.
Just a day earlier, it emerged that Pakistan’s interior ministry had authorized the deployment of paramilitary Punjab Rangers and FC forces in Islamabad since November 7 to maintain law and order.
Pakistan’s parliament also passed a law earlier this year to regulate public gatherings in Islamabad, specifying timings for rallies and designating specific areas. The law prescribes three-year jail terms for participants in illegal assemblies and 10-year imprisonment for repeat offenders.
 


Pakistani stocks surge past 97,000 as investor confidence grows on economic reforms

Updated 21 November 2024
Follow

Pakistani stocks surge past 97,000 as investor confidence grows on economic reforms

  • Analysts attribute rally to strong economic data, rising optimism over government reforms
  • Stock market has remained bullish since the government slashed policy rate in November

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday gained 1,700 points, surging past the 97,000 mark during intra-day trading for the first time, with analysts attributing the rally to strong economic data and rising investor optimism over government reforms.
The benchmark KSE-100 index rose by 1,781.94 points, or 1.86 percent, to close at 97,328.39. It touched an unprecedented peak of 97,437.15 during intra-day trading.
Analyst Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corporation said surging foreign exchange reserves and speculations over the government’s decisions on economic reforms and privatization “played a catalyst role in the record surge at the PSX.”
“Stocks are bullish, led by scrips across the board as investors weigh a drop in government bond yields and robust economic data for current account surplus, remittances, exports and foreign direct investments,” Mehanti told Arab News.
In October, Pakistan’s external current account recorded a surplus of $349 million, marking the third consecutive month of surplus and the highest in this period. The current account reflects a nation’s transactions with the world, encompassing net trade in goods and services, net earnings on cross-border investments and net transfer payments.
A surplus indicates that a country is exporting more than it is importing, thereby strengthening its foreign exchange reserves.
A bullish trend has been observed in the stock market since Pakistan’s central bank cut its key policy rate by 250 basis points, bringing it to 15 percent earlier this month. Economic indicators have also steadily improved since securing a 37-month, $7 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September.
In the past, the country faced a prolonged economic crisis that drained its foreign exchange reserves and saw its currency weaken amid double-digit inflation. Last year, Pakistan narrowly avoided a sovereign default by clinching a last-minute $3 billion IMF bailout deal.


Saudi mission in Pakistan condemns militant attack that killed 12 soldiers this week

Updated 21 November 2024
Follow

Saudi mission in Pakistan condemns militant attack that killed 12 soldiers this week

  • The embassy extends condolences to victims’ families and the Pakistani people in a statement
  • The statement reiterates the kingdom’s position ‘rejecting all forms of violence and terrorism’

ISLAMABAD: The Saudi embassy in Pakistan on Thursday condemned a militant attack on a joint security checkpoint in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that killed 10 army soldiers and two Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel, extending condolences to the victims’ families and the Pakistani people.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, targeted a joint army and paramilitary check post in the Mali Khel area of Bannu District, where militants detonated an explosive-laden vehicle after troops repelled their attempt to storm the post, according to the Pakistan military. Six militants were killed during the exchange of gunfire that followed.
“The Embassy expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the attack on a joint checkpoint in the city of Bannu in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, which resulted in the death and injury of a number of people,” the Saudi diplomatic mission in Islamabad said in a statement.
“The Embassy reiterates the Kingdom’s position rejecting all forms of violence and terrorism,” it added. “The Embassy extends its deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the families of the victims, the government and the people of Pakistan, and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.”
Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has experienced a resurgence of militant violence in recent months, with a growing number of attacks on security forces and infrastructure despite the country’s efforts to combat militancy.
The region has long been a hotspot for insurgent activity, with militants frequently targeting military and paramilitary personnel.
Saudi Arabia has consistently expressed its support for Pakistan’s fight against extremist violence, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation to tackle militancy and ensure regional stability.


Imran Khan remanded to police for five days in case involving violence at Rawalpindi rally 

Updated 21 November 2024
Follow

Imran Khan remanded to police for five days in case involving violence at Rawalpindi rally 

  • Main charges include terrorism, vandalism, destruction of property, attempted murder 
  • Khan, jailed since August 2023, claims all charges against him are politically motivated

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani lower court has remanded former prime minister Imran Khan to Rawalpindi police for interrogation for five days in a case pertaining to violence at a rally organized by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in September, the party said on Thursday.

Khan was arrested in the rally case on Wednesday night, hours after the Islamabad High Court had granted him bail in another case that has popularly come to be called the new Toshakhana case, filed in July and involving a jewelry set worth over €380,000 gifted to the former first lady by a foreign dignitary when Khan was prime minister from 2018-2022. The couple was accused of undervaluing the gift and buying it at a lesser price from the state repository. Both deny wrongdoing. 

Khan has been in jail since August last year following his conviction in four cases, two of which have been suspended, including an original one relating to state gifts, and he was acquitted in the rest.

“An anti-terrorism court granted a five-day physical remand to Rawalpindi police in the first information report (FIR) registered on Sep. 28,” the PTI party said in a statement. “The FIR surfaced last night and Rawalpindi police declared the arrest shortly afterwards.”

The PTI party added that arresting a suspect in a case registered in September right after he was granted bail in another case was an “absolute mockery of the law.”

The police report of the case lists terrorism, attempted murder, vandalism, destruction of public and state property, and interference in government operations as the main charges. It says participants of the PTI rally created unrest, obstructed public access by burning tires and caused difficulties for citizens.

It also charged PTI leaders and supporters with raising anti-government slogans, hurling stones at the police and attacking them with iron rods during the protest. PTI rallygoers damaged several police vehicles and one police officer was injured, the report adds.

Khan was in prison when the Sept. 28 rally took place. The former premier denies any wrongdoing and alleges all the cases registered against him since he was removed from power in 2022 were politically motivated to keep him in jail.

His PTI party is staging a “long march” to the capital city, Islamabad, on Nov. 24, aiming to pressurise the government to release him.