QUETTA: Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, the MPA from Gwadar and leader of the Haq Do Tehreek (HDT), has threatened to stage a sit-in on the coastal highway starting September 5 if the alleged interference of military officers in government affairs does not cease.
Speaking at a press conference in Quetta on Saturday, Mr. Rehman accused military officers of running various government departments, including education, health, public health engineering, and water management, within his constituency. He specifically alleged that officers of colonel and brigadier ranks were interfering in the education department by appointing their preferred candidates as headmistress at a girls’ school in his native area, Surbandar.
He criticized the security situation, stating that despite an annual expenditure of Rs180 billion on security, the law and order situation continued to deteriorate. “The dignity, life, and property of people are not safe, and security forces have failed to restore peace and prevent killings,” he said.
Mr. Rehman also claimed that senior army personnel were overstepping their bounds by meddling in local politics, district administration, and other governmental departments, insisting that politicians should be allowed to perform their duties without interference.
Emphasizing his commitment to the people of Gwadar, the MPA declared, “I am not a Form 47 but a true representative of the people of Gwadar. I will not compromise on their rights under any circumstances.”
He further stated that other political parties would join his sit-in, which will continue until all demands are met, including an end to military interference in government affairs, the restoration of electricity, tackling the “trawler mafia,” and addressing unemployment.
Mr. Rehman alleged that 70% of Gwadar’s waters were under the control of the trawler mafia, which is “stealing” fish worth Rs200 to 250 billion and damaging the marine ecosystem. He lamented that despite repeatedly informing the government, no action had been taken to address this critical issue, leaving local fishermen destitute.
