Gwadar as the new epicenter of development, while the indigenous people bear the brunt of both development and natural disasters.
Furthermore, there has been a deliberate policy to ignore local people’s needs. Historically, every state-initiated project in Balochistan has neglected the common people, as seen in examples like SUI gas. The socio-economic status of the common man in Saindak and Reko Diq is below average, questioning the potential benefits of the new extraction phase in Gwadar for the common man.
Secondly, climate change is a globally pressing issue and a severe existential threat to humanity. The global south, including Balochistan and Sindh, is on the frontline of climate change. However, it was not prioritized. In the 2024 elections, climate change was still not a priority. It is crucial to recognize climate change as a major security threat and prioritize it immediately. According to environmental scholars, climate change is environmental colonialism, more man-made than a natural disaster. In Gwadar’s case, the rainwater should have multiple routes to the sea to prevent destruction of indigenous homes, but the ambiguous development model has failed to provide an alternative route.
There is also an absence of political will. Mir Hammal Kalmati has been the MPA of Gwadar for 15 years, yet his performance is quite evident in the recent devastations. Similarly, elected members from Gwadar in the national assembly have remained silent on local issues. This gap between representatives and local issues is not limited to Gwadar; the entire province suffers from it. Effective people-centric policies are needed to address these issues, as mega-projects tend to fail without local engagement and participation, potentially leading to additional political conflict.
The upcoming provincial government must prioritize climate change, considering Balochistan’s frontline status in facing this major issue. Rehabilitation measures should be taken to address the loss and damage caused by the rains, or else mega-city projects like Gwadar will fail with ambiguous developmental measures.
The writer is a resident of Gwadar and a M-Phil Scholar in Political Science from Forman Christian College, Lahore.
( Courtsey : Daily Balochistan Express 29 February 2023)