On Monday, business representatives and residents from Gwadar’s Kuntani area held a sit-in outside the Pakistan Coast Guards camp. The demonstration, organized by the ‘Haq Do Tehreek’, was a response to both the reported shutdown of businesses and the perceived overreaches by the Pakistani Coast Guard.
The protesters initially assembled at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Gwadar, hoping for a resolution. However, following a discussion during which the Deputy Commissioner indicated his limited influence over the Coast Guard’s actions, the group moved their demonstration to the Coast Guard camp.
A major point of contention during the protest was the opposition of a token-based system for regulating businesses. Many in the local business community expressed a preference for an identity card-based system in Kuntani. Further, allegations arose that the Coast Guard’s existing regulations disproportionately favour specific business groups.