Balochistan govt warned against placing Gwadar under federal control

GWADAR: Maulana Hidayatur Rehman Baloch, chief of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Balochistan, cautioned on Sunday that efforts to incorporate Gwadar into federal administration or impose top-down decisions would face significant opposition from locals and political parties. Speaking at a press conference at the Gwadar Press Club, he contended that rumors of forming new provinces or placing certain areas under federal control in official channels and on social media were merely "tactics" by the establishment to gauge public sentiment.

He described the present political scenario as a "dictatorship" despite the presence of elected assemblies, asserting that key national issues were being handled through proxy discussions instead of being addressed by parliament. Mr Baloch emphasized that the people of Gwadar would not accept decisions imposed through coercion or through appointed representatives, referring to such measures as "tools for humiliation."

He also criticized security outposts across the region, alleging that they had transformed into instruments of public humiliation and harassment for citizens, including passengers, students, and others. As an MPA, he pledged that if appointed chief minister of Balochistan for even a day, he would disband all unnecessary security posts within 24 hours.

Mr Baloch, who is also a member of Pakistan Muslim League (JI), reaffirmed his party's dedication to pursuing public interests through peaceful, democratic methods, both outside the assembly and on the streets. He noted that the creation of new districts or administrative divisions was permissible if done with consensus and parliamentary endorsement, but the idea of federally uniting Gwadar was a clandestine scheme destined to be opposed.