Pakistan turning Gwadar into open prison on China’s order

[Zapper]

Under pressure from China, which is worried about the safety of its men and machine stationed at the strategic Gwadar port, Pakistan has started erecting a wall of barbed fencing around Gwadar city. This, when completed, will seal off the heart of Gwadar city, leaving only one entry point and one exit point for the city’s residents.

The Gwadar port, located on the coast of Arabian Sea in the Balochistan province, is being used by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and will be developed as a military base in the coming years. A “significant” number of men from the People’s Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps are already deployed at the port, local sources told The Sunday Guardian.

Sources said that the fencing, which will be completed within a month, is being done from a fund of Pakistani Rs 1,475.9 million, which has been allotted by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives for “Gwadar Safe City Project Phase-I”.

Sources said that the entire area from Coastal Highway to Zero Point Gwadar is to be closed off with fencing. The fencing starts from Pishukan village, passes the Balochistan Broadway Road, and Gwadar Airport, thus encircling all the villages that lie in between. Once completed, a local source said, it will turn Gwadar into an open prison.

Local Gwadar-based sources, including government officials, who spoke to The Sunday Guardian, said that these barbed fences that are approximately 10 feet in height, will, in the first phase, cover an area of around 30 sq km, and will have close to 600 surveillance cameras at suitable distances to ensure that anyone coming near the fence or trying to enter the city, apart from those authorized entry, is spotted and taken down.

Pakistan came under increased pressure from China to increase safety measures around the city following the May 2019 Pearl Continental hotel attack, which sits on the “Koh e Batil” hill overlooking the Gwadar port.

Members of Balochistan freedom groups had stormed the highly guarded hotel on 11 May, which at the time was frequented only by senior Chinese and Pakistani officials who were engaged in the CPEC projects. In the firefight, which lasted for several hours, eight people, including three hotel infiltrators, were killed. Sources said that of the three attackers, two had entered the city through sea route.

This incident had massively irked the Chinese leadership, which had questioned the capabilities of the Pakistan government—which has already raised and deployed a special force of 15,000 men named “Special Security Division” (SSD) comprising 9,000 Pakistan Army soldiers and 6,000 para-military forces personnel to guard Chinese assets in the Balochistan region at the cost of Pakistani Rs 0.5 billion—to protect the Chinese from the Baloch freedom fighters, who, despite numbering in thousands and armed with mostly rudimentary weapons, have been able to target CPEC projects at regular intervals.

Locals, who spoke to The Sunday Guardian, quoting official sources, said that in the coming few years, Chinese and Punjabis will be settled in the region so as to bring a democratic change and reduce the ethnic Baloch to a minority.

“Deputy Commissioner of Gwadar, Major (retd) Abdul Kabir Khan has been telling us that this fencing is being done to protect the local Baloch. Protection from whom? The truth is that securing Gwadar city is the first step to bring in a demographic change in the region so that ‘outsiders’ can feel safe and start settling here. As per local officials, only outsiders will be allowed to stay in these fenced regions in the coming years, with the locals being issued hourly permits to enter the city,” a Gwadar-based junior level government official said.

Naseem Baloch, Organiser of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) Diaspora Committee, told The Sunday Guardian that the local Baloch living in Gwadar believe that by fencing Gwadar, the Pakistan Army was planning to carry out demographic changes. “The life of an ordinary Baloch is very hard in the region. There are police check posts every 200 metres where the locals are humiliated and assaulted for no reason. When the fencing comes up, it will become very difficult for the Baloch to step out or get into Gwadar.”

https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/pak-turning-gwadar-open-prison-chinas-order

 

[Jackdaws]

That's terrible.

 

[Kaptaan]

I saw the thread of this title. Three thoughts came to mind -

• I had already read about the plan to build a security fence around Gwadar. I thought this was a sterling good idea. Seal the damned city and don't let anything suspicious in. Personally I would ban anybody with a beard or a burqa but that is just me. What we need is lots of Ukranian, Chinese, Russian hookers flounting their stuff to turn this city into a UAE competitor. The location is spot on. The weather is terrific. The Arabian Sea is blue and pristine. The area is clean. Perfect. And astride the worlds largest oil sea lanes at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
• 
  
• the fact that our Indian friends have taken the effort to give this their attention confirms in my mind it is a good idea. Indian attention amounts to + validation.
• 
  
• the source of course appears to be dubious and suspect. Probably another Indian propaganda mouthpiece flogging itself as a respectable newspaper by using the "Guardian" name tag.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1336642899006681088

 

[Kaptaan]

That's terrible.

Ahhhh ... bless you.

 

[Jackdaws]

I saw the thread of this title. Three thoughts came to mind -

• I had already read about the plan to build a security fence around Gwadar. I thought this was a sterling good idea. Seal the damned city and don't let anything suspicious in. Personally I would ban anybody with a beard or a burqa but that is just me. What we need is lots of Ukranian, Chinese, Russian hookers flounting their stuff to turn this city into a UAE competitor. The location is spot on. The weather is terrific. The Arabian Sea is blue and pristine. The area is clean. Perfect. And astride the worlds largest oil sea lanes at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
• 
  
• the fact that our Indian friends have taken the effort to give this their attention confirms in my mind it is a good idea. Indian attention amounts to + validation.
• 
  
• the source of course appears to be dubious and suspect. Probably another Indian propaganda mouthpiece flogging itself as a respectable newspaper by using the "Guardian" name tag.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1336642899006681088

I am pretty sure the Indian state uses various media to build narratives against Pakistan. This is no secret. Is it disinformation? That's a stretch. There is no smoke without fire.
It's not as if Pakistan enjoys a reputation like a Nordic state. Pakistan does a lot wrong and India amplifies it and exploits it to its advantage. That's not disinformation. That's state craft.

 

[Kaptaan]

Keep it safe and clean !!! By the way Gwadar comes under the Government of Balochistan. And what you Indian's don't know is despite the province being called 'Balochistan' only 40% are ethnic Baloch. Over 25% are Pakhtuns. Most of the large cities like Quetta are dominated by Pakhtuns. Keep that in mind.

 

[Kaptaan]

Background history: Gwadar was until 1958 part of the Arab Sultanate of Oman. Indeed many of the Gwadar towns people are mix of Afro-Arabs from the slave trade. Oman is only a short distance across the water and climate of this region is exactly like Arabian Peninsula. Pakistan effectively took Gwadar by force from the Omani's like Indians used force to take Goa from Portugese.

Arab legacy ..

Portugese cannon.

And the incredible scenery resembling US Canyon region.

 

[xizhimen]

Pakistan may do it, but not at China's request. Pakistan is a sovereign country, they do things at their own will. Indian media pulls all stops to slander and sabotage CPEC, but they won't succeed, China has all the means , funds and resources to make CPEC a big success.

 

[Jackdaws]

Background history: Gwadar was until 1958 part of the Arab Sultanate of Oman. Indeed many of the Gwadar towns people are mix of Afro-Arabs from the slave trade. Oman is only a short distance across the water and climate of this region is exactly like Arabian Peninsula. Pakistan effectively took Gwadar by force from the Omani's like Indians used force to take Goa from Portugese.

Arab legacy ..

View attachment 9209

View attachment 9210

Portugese cannon.

View attachment 9211

And the incredible scenery resembling US Canyon region.


View attachment 9212

View attachment 9214


View attachment 9217

View attachment 9218

I read Oman sold Gwadar to Pak. Was it taken by force?

 

[Zapper]

I read Oman sold Gwadar to Pak. Was it taken by force?

https://www.dawn.com/news/1452133

http://ibcenglish.net/index.php/2019/08/06/why-did-oman-sell-gwadar-to-pakistan/

https://historypak.com/custody-gwadar-1958/

 

[Blank1]

I had already read about the plan to build a security fence around Gwadar. I thought this was a sterling good idea. Seal the damned city and don't let anything suspicious in. Personally I would ban anybody with a beard or a burqa but that is just me. What we need is lots of Ukranian, Chinese, Russian hookers flounting their stuff to turn this city into a UAE competitor. The location is spot on. The weather is terrific. The Arabian Sea is blue and pristine. The area is clean. Perfect. And astride the worlds largest oil sea lanes at the mouth of the Persian Gulf

Only airport and some sensitive areas will be fenced. To deal with anything suspicious SOME appropriate measure are underway. Beards & Burqa a lot come and gone to end or ban it with no success and you wont be an exception.
About hookers, Well Just visit there and enlighten them with your plan, You will get the needed answer.

 

[Kaptaan]

Beards & Burqa a lot come and gone to end or ban it with no success and you wont be an exception.

Beards & Burqa brigade tried, have come and gone trying to ban secularism but thus far the home of the once mighty calipha - Istanbul is firmly in grasp of secularism. And I celebrate that with a crisp wine while enjoying the distant vista of the Blue Mosque.

About hookers, Well Just visit there and enlighten them with your plan, You will get the needed answer.

Can't. My idea was stolen by Hira Mandi, Lahore. All the hookers are dancing in Lahore. I think with my pork eating, flesh loving, athiest dancing Chinese allies paying for everything, the long term prospect will go my way.

 

[Null/Void]

Gwadar needs to be its own province or at least an important "federal run" territory akin to Islamabad Quetta is about some 1000 KM of unstable region and I doubt the leadership is competent enough Gwadar is too important to fail Pakistan cannot waste this golden chance on petty provincial bickering

 

[Nilgiri]

That's terrible.

Worse still, its irrelevant.

Whole thing is a ponzi scam, thats all you get in the end with a 7% savings rate (and trust rate by the people) in the country.

There is a key reason Chinese put their hands in pockets and start whistling looking at the sky if you ask about actual factories and actual FDI....you know production and export stuff (to actually get out of the problem logically and sequentially to leverage sustainably on infra and ambition after it).

Then we have hooker talk and next-dubai talk, I guess its good cover for the "bride" trade actually going on before (and apparently "ended" now coz it was "looked into" along with the "looking into" of the pakistani men that married uighurs and now cant reach them).

Hamoodur "released any moment now!" commission ISPR-doosra, teesra and beshtest ally = OBL-raid pleashe.... la-la-la land carrying on as usual.

More brochures and dreams headed your way to follow up the earlier brochures and dreams...

...certainly no sounding rockets ( while sitting on imported "indigenous" missiles) or Chess GMs (while sitting on muh heritage stronk) or patents (while sitting on some asserted supremacy) at anywhere that matters. All being saved for a better day just like the "hidden economy" and whatever other conspiracy theory that's popular.

Is it a wonder about a country trusting itself to the level of 7% in the end with this heady intelligent sustained deployed and leveraged intellect?...but of course its super-smart and totally not dependent on certain complexes anyway. They totally don't clam up unable to answer what would the CPEC route even manage to handle given its some proposed artery.,,,like basic math, do the truck capacity + travel rate stuff (compared to shipping) = dead silence or more brochures....psh.

It will all just magically industrialise with no thinking, logic or local effort and reform.... cuz the Chinese say so (and do the exact reverse of process that Deng did, the ultimate irony). See you front load the debt-driven logistics and white elephant stuff first....rather than export-forex factories. It all makes perfect sense...not a ponzi debt scheme at all to help the elitist cabal entrench and atrophy even more.

Anyway a 7% savings rate "economy" is a weak emaciated donkey being left to rot while we're looking at cart brochures (outsourced to foreigners of all people) that it is supposed to push somehow to pay back when it will be in an even worse state since no one actually wants to feed it what it actually needs.

Fences around cities or whatever matter zilch compared to that.

240 million people manage 20 billion USD a year to save (half or a third of what they import..sheesh)....and go for debt piles (CPEC or whatever else) and higher taxes and inflation first thing as result given no actual realised production or tax base.....um ok, super credible....super sound....just like effective near zero or even negative forex reserve (depending how you define).

Now UAE and more GCC countries looking to shut down remittance flow to there....even with the no-show at KL being submitted to. More great news for Pakistan I guess....boy their leaders/admin really know how to stick it rather than receive it....they have all the priorities straightened out.

PTI is totally not PMLN repackaged snake oil....just look at the cabinet and admin, no repeated names whatsoever....its all not musical chairs one bit.

So why in the end would the savings rate increase given all this? It literally has no reason to....it will just be stolen and squandered away. The psyche has now metastasized to serious trust deficit in the system, and apparently foreigners are supposed to help with that or even solve it. Ridiculous.

 

[xizhimen]

I guess no Pakistanis would like to listen to Indians' "analysis" on CPEC. The project is basically running through some disputed lands between India and Pakistan, China's involvement on the side of Pakistan means India can forever kiss goodbye to those lands, it's a massive boon both strategically and economically for Pakistan.

 

[Nilgiri]

"I guess"... lol

....all because no aptitude to get to the nitty gritty and basic logic...just brochure tokenism.

Then out come more copy-paste passive-aggressive platitudes and waffle.

Tawang monastery says Hi + forever goodbye too apparently. But that one hurts the wrong way so argument wont be consistent there. Darn collectivism.

 

[Raptor]

I guess no Pakistanis would like to listen to Indians' "analysis" on CPEC. The project is basically running through some disputed lands between India and Pakistan, China's involvement on the side of Pakistan means India can forever kiss goodbye to those lands, it's a massive boon both strategically and economically for Pakistan.

CPEC could be cut off easily via good mobilizing force,the chinese people have to worry about that.

 

[Saiyan0321]

This is not just the need of the hour but an absolute necessity not just in Gwadar but in quetta and other places as well. Sensitive places must be protected. Here is the thing, the militants will always target areas which are most likely to get coverage which means that they are more likely to attack lahore than Sheikhupura or Kasur which means that Lahore must have greater security and protection and it does. We cannot forget that Pakistan has come out of an era of extreme militancy and baluchistan especially.

When lahore was being made home to a bunch of check posts, i remember fences and barriers being placed on a whole road outside IG office or secretariat or court or the ministry of agriculture, all these were near Rewaz garden where we have property. Infact some of my friends would joke that you are living at strike zone due to close proximity of highly highly sensitive places and i should leave for Cantt or Bahria Town, which were extremely fenced areas of lahore and still are. My answer to that was, not leaving this place no matter what. I saw first hand the difficulties these barriers created however that entire setup, worked and Lahore actually became secure. There are, to this day, checkposts at the entrance of the city and i cannot deny their effectiveness and how they have helped secure the city.

in 2018 there came another problem whioch was discussed which was whether lahore's safe city project was a violation of one's fundamental right most notably the cameras which violated the right to privacy. All this was argued then and even then, those that be walking on the streets or going to college and would hear that a bombing had happened in lahore or even hear the sound of blast or the sounds of ambulances and police to this day sends the signals to the brain that something has happened even if its just a protocol of a Minister . All of them argued that safe city projects are necessary and they also contributed in greater investigation of crime as well as in security of the city.

Gwadar, whether CPEC is a failure or not, is an important city and project and if nothing else, the limelight alone will see the city targeted again and again thus these areas must be secured, Lahore is naturally enclosed due to the river ravi whereas areas like bahria town are enclosed fences and we should do something similar for Gwadar. Fence the city and secure it and if it saves one life, then it was successful. We also need to consider that there is, as in all things, nationalist politics and vested interests. When we were building check points and torkham custom policy the most resistance was faced from the traders which repeatedly fought against the secure policy and visa policy of the border terminal.

The difference between an enclosed fence and not. back in 2010 my friend from bahria town would say two things that pissed everyone off

That there is no loadshedding. what is that? 12 hour outages? what!?? You guys are jesting, that doesnt happen

insecurity? i read about the attacks but i often go for walks at 1 am or to cinema for the post midnight show and its all secure. what crime?

 

[Saiyan0321]

Balochistan' only 40% are ethnic Baloch. Over 25% are Pakhtuns.

Ideally we should have stuck to the original demarcation where the cheif commissioners province, which was pashtun dominated and the balochistan states union from 1948-1955 which was baloch majority. Infact for sometime now the brahui community has been fighting, like the seraikis, for ethnic recogntion as a separate group from baloch and wish for them to be recognized as such. Khuzdar is just one of the districts which is brahui majority and lasbela as well has about 30% sindhi speaking population. Baluchistan, like other provinces of Pakistan is also an ethnic meshup that even if we talk about the baluchistan states union, then even that was an ethnic mix.

 

[Blank1]

Beards & Burqa brigade tried, have come and gone trying to ban secularism but thus far the home of the once mighty calipha - Istanbul is firmly in grasp of secularism. And I celebrate that with a crisp wine while enjoying the distant vista of the Blue Mosque.


Can't. My idea was stolen by Hira Mandi, Lahore. All the hookers are dancing in Lahore. That is why we need to import Ukrainans to Gwadar or it will remain a crappy village with fliers buzzing. I think with my pork eating, flesh loving, athiest dancing Chinese allies paying for everything, the long term prospect will go my way.

"Beards & Burqa brigade" didn't know such a thing exist in reality who wants to ban secularism, may be this brigade is in the mind of some.
Chinese are paying for other important thing like power plants, bridges and necessary infrastructure and Pakistanis living there are good with it.