Karachi: In the last week of February, Gwadar — a port city on the southwestern coast of Balochistan — was ravaged by heavy rains leading to widespread destruction. According to authorities, the coastal town received 180 millimeters of rainfall over two days resulting in flooding.
Officials were active to an extent only in the main city of Gwadar and in areas that were more affected such as Old Gwadar city, Jiwani, Pishukan, Surbandar, Palleri, Ganz, Kantani, and others where locals were living under the open sky. Affected people, however, had not been rescued and were left to manage on their own in other areas despite local administration declaring an emergency.
Notably, Gwadar is often showcased as a developed city by the local Pakistani media. It is seen as a catalyst for changing the fate of the country. In a sharp contrast, the cries of the Balochs grew louder amidst the heavy rains, raising questions on who will change the fate of the locals.
Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a prominent activist and leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee told The Wire, “There are two Gwadars: one portrayed by the Pakistani media as Dubai and Singapore, and another Gwadar where locals are submerged in rain-flood water and struggling for drinking water.”
Underlining how the recent rains have devastated the lives of people, Dr. Mahrang noted that a “house” means a single room in Gwadar, not the general definition of a house and it costs a huge amount to an individual to even construct and re-construct such a “house” when rain damages it repeatedly.
While many people have lost their shelter, the ancient fishing community in the city has also been severely affected. Their boats — a lifeline for them as they rely on them for their livelihood — are damaged, each cost about Pakistani Rupee 30 lakh.
“Their boats have been damaged and some of them swept away by heavy rains,” said affected fishermen to Mahrang. She continued, stating that if the local administration had announced a high alter and warned them strictly, the fishermen might have been able to save their boats.
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the real culprit
In 2022, a devastating flood hit Pakistan which resulted in severe destruction, especially in the Sindh and Balochistan provinces. Gwadar also witnessed torrential rains followed by flooding.
Speaking to The Wire, journalist Behram Baloch said, “Rains or miseries are not first-time occurrences in the lives of Balochs nor are heavy rains new to Gwadar. Even in 2008 and 2010, such rainstorms severally hit Gwadar. Ever since the government has not developed any infrastructure or drainage system.”
“The most interesting point is that recent rains have badly exposed the state and its claims regarding development projects in Gwadar,” he added.
Dr. Mahrang Baloch along with affected families in Gwadar. Photo: Baloch Yakjehti Committee
Dr. Mahrang went door to door to meet the affected people during the recent crisis. She explained that “pseudo-mega development projects” played a major role in the ruin and destruction of the city. “There is no doubt that climate crisis is a reality, but the government’s criminal negligence made it worse,” Dr. Mahrang underlined.
Recently, when she met the affected people, they told her that “it is Chine-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that has ruined our lives, stolen our employment, and now destroyed our homes. The rain has done less damage than CPEC.”
Dr. Mahrang pointed out that infrastructure development has altered natural the drainage patterns, which previously facilitated the drainage of rain-flood water. Further, she asserted that these “pseudo projects” have now obstructed natural pathways and have failed to assist in draining rain-flood water. “At some point, the locals even broke the roads to alleviate flooding,” she said.
Government is inactive and does not assist those who initiate the relief work
The government is less active in Gwadar, where a small number of locals, NGOs and other activists are voluntarily working in the city. It has also been reported that organisations like the Baloch Yakjehti Committee which are active in relief work are facing threats. The committee’s relief camp in Hub, a city of Balochistan, was removed and volunteers were warned not to continue their work.
When asked about the local administration’s presence on the ground, Dr. Mahrang mentioned that they had “not seen them”. She claimed that officials came and took pictures with generators to pretend that they were helping locals even when the localities only brought generators to pump out floodwater. The locals were afraid of speaking as they are under the scrutiny of military forces. “Locals have been scrutinised, but no one is coming forward to help people,” she said.
Echoing similar views, Behram said that the government is not active this time like how they remained inactive during the 2010 floods.
The government’s inactivity is part of a plan to compel locals to leave their land
Dr. Mahrang stated that the torrential rains have revealed every unkind plan of the state towards Balochs.
In Gwadar, locals have been forced to leave their land for a long time, and even fishing community faces restrictions and is not allowed to fish freely. Now, the state remains silent and does not assist affected people, indicating that locals will ultimately be forced to abandon their land. She added that “when you lack shelter and protection for work, you are left with no choice but to make a difficult decision”.
“We need a Gwadar where we can have two meals a day,” affected people told Mahrang, she shared.
Behram recalled an event during his reporting between 2004 and 2005 when official authorities were considering the relocation of entire local population to another place. However, this plan was later withheld due to the difficulty of relocating such a large population.
“The government’s inactivity sends a clear message that they want locals to leave their land so they can install their mega projects in Gwadar,” he said.
Funds should be monitored
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited rain-hit Gwadar, unveiling a relief package for affected residents.
“Our people do not need just a sack of wheat, or empty relief package announcements, [the government] assistance should aim to rebuild their lives, to provide them basic needs. But, politicians only show up when people are devastated, because we know what they have done in previous disasters,” said Dr. Mahrang.
She urged international communities to monitor funds being given to Pakistan and urged them to directly approach the affected people.
