An Open Letter From Gwadar

Riffat Wahab Baloch

Leaders of federal and Balochistan Government,

Gwadar, situated on the south Western Arabian Sea coastline of Pakistan has achieved the status of an international city. Gwadar is the tipping point of all the mega projects that would be started in Pakistan under $46 billion China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC). These mega projects are positive thing for Gwadar as well as for Pakistan. However if we take a look at the flip side of the picture then it presents an uncomfortable scenario.

In a city where bright dreams of future are glowing, people are still suffering from countless basic problems including, but not limited to, lack of water and electricity crisis. Weather in Gwadar is too hot and that has resulted in increasing the demand of water. Lack of availability of water has paralyzed the lives of people. Residents of Gwadar are dying due to shortage of water and cannot do anything except waiting for a miracle such as rain.

Lack of electricity is the second major problem for Gwadar residents. People who can afford high expenses of generators are somehow managing to achieve a degree of comfort but the rest of the town lies in the darkness. In the holy month of Ramzan people neither have water nor electricity. People are fed up of protesting and blocking the roads against this injustice because no action is taken in response to their protests.

Obviously we, the people of Gwadar, love our country from the core of our hearts and want it to shine like a bright star. We are also in favor of all the development projects taking place in Gwadar. However, one thing needs to be understood that all mega projects in Gwadar can never be turned into reality until and unless living standards of people of Gwadar are not improved.

Therefore, we urge government of Pakistan and government of Balochistan to take notice of the aforementioned problems and take prompt action for their resolution. Solving these problems would mean eliminating hurdles in the path of development of Gwadar and Pakistan.

Published in The Balochistan Point on July 8, 2015

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are those of the author and The Balochistan Point not necessarily agrees with them.