Gwadar drowns due of carelessness

Noreen has lived in the port city of Gwadar, Balochistan, for the past six years. She has lived in agony there thus far. The landlord has threatened to evict her since she hasn’t paid her rent in three months. “Noreen bemoaned that the family has no other means of earning bread; feeding the kids has become the biggest challenge, and the sea business is closed as well.”

In addition to all of this, Gwadar had urban flooding and recent storms, which made her already stressful existence much more challenging. The fishing community has been severely impacted by the sea being restricted to commercial vessels.

Massi Begum, a councilman and elderly Gwadar inhabitant, has been deeply impacted by the recent destruction. She remarked, “My children are Janshu [boat worker in Balochi], and I come from a family of fishermen.” Nobody offered us assistance. There is nothing but calamity and suffering around.

Massi Begum insisted that those in need receive assistance from the provincial administration.

World leaders convened in the United Arab Emirates for the Conference of Parties (COP28) just a few months prior. Numerous choices were made, including the move away from fossil fuels, and pictures were taken. Balochistani citizens are among those most negatively impacted by climate change, although living a very far and non-voting distance from all that. The entire province provided a display of a ruined, war-ravaged region during the 2022 flash floods.

After two years, the government is still unable to mitigate the impacts of the floods, and a new catastrophe has struck Balochistan’s shore. This time, the catastrophe struck Gwadar, which is hailed as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s (CPEC) gem. Roads were destroyed, homes were submerged, infrastructure was destroyed, and people went without food. Gwadar is by no means a representation of the future.

The inhabitants of Gwadar have suffered greatly in the recent destruction, largely due to the effects of the climatic catastrophe brought on by the heavy industries of the First World. During the continuing talks in the corridors of power over the reassignment of ministries and the reorganization of bureaucracy in Balochistan, the urban flooding in Gwadar provided a striking contrast to the portrayal of the marine drive in the mainstream media.

Fisherman Shahid revealed his powerlessness in the face of calamity. He said, “I’m waiting for help. My house is full of water, my furniture is destroyed, and my walls are full of cracks.” He said that he is not receiving any assistance from the government to pump the floodwater out of his house, nor does he own a generator. His suffering doesn’t stop here. When the sea is closed, he has no other option than to fish for his family’s bread and butter.

It’s not like Balochistan is ignorant about climate change. When the recent rains arrived, Mirza Ghalib, a Gwadar local and FC College Lahore student, was at home. We are on the front lines of climate change, he stated, and his perspective on the matter is well-informed. The last time floods caused such devastation in Balochistan was not too long ago, and human ignorance and carelessness are to blame for the current climate catastrophe rather than natural causes.

He emphasized the effects of climate change on people worldwide and said that while billions of dollars have been spent on infrastructure development and development here, the unclear nature of the development plans became apparent when the city washed away by rain. According to Mirza, the climate problem should be politicized as a reaction to this political issue. It should be noted that Gwadar presently consists of two cities: one is home to the affluent and powerful, and the other to the underprivileged.

In this situation, the Baloch Yakjetii Committee (BYC), which rose to prominence during the Balaach Mola Baksh case and the Long March to Islamabad, is also thought to be highly active. When their well-known leader, Dr. Mahrag Baloch, arrived in Gwadar, he not only got to know the locals but also planned a public discussion about the indigenous viewpoint there. The BYC activists were observed gathering information, setting up donation and relief camps for the Gwadar residents in many locations. Their homepage claims that the camp they set up in Gwadar was subsequently pulled up, causing indignation on social media and unrest among the people of Balochistan. The camp was allegedly not issued a NOC by the Deputy Commissioner of Gwadar.

Student activist Shaheena Rashid has been examining the ancient city neighborhoods and gathering information on the destruction with her team. She claimed that they are still unable to travel to numerous locations. “According to the data we collected of certain areas, there are females who are ba-parda and more than 200 homes that are in immediate need,” the speaker stated.

Sameer Baloch, a student activist and native of Gwadar, also pointed out that the global climate catastrophe is a political one. Sameer pointed out that while the federal and provincial governments make grandiose statements regarding Gwadar’s growth, the truth is quite the reverse. “The only development that has been done is Marine Drive and the cricket stadium, whereas the recent rains descending devastation is the result of the Gwadar old city’s failed infrastructure,” he said. Sameer thinks there is a lot of work that needs to be done by the government.

The provincial government and administration have angered the populace. They contend that the money and all of the current development are unclear and not helping the populace. Furious “If the rain comes again, nothing would be left,” stated Hassan from Gwadar. “I don’t know anything about any funds if they were sent from somewhere, they didn’t reach us.”

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges to Balochistan, the Chief Minister of Balochistan stated in his inaugural address. Additionally, he stated that Balochistan has made no contribution to this situation. He promised that it would be his administration’s top priority