A group of women staged a protest outside the Pakistani Coast Guard headquarters in Balochistan’s coastal city of Gwadar on Monday, expressing anger over what they say are restrictions on their means of livelihood and accusing their local Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) of inaction.
The demonstrators gathered on Syed Hashmi Avenue, where they staged a sit-in in front of the Coast Guard facility. They alleged that Coast Guard personnel confiscated their vehicle and fuel, disrupting their ability to earn a living.
“The Coast Guard has made our lives unbearable,” one female protester said.
“How are we supposed to survive? Where should we go?”
She added that oil trade is a key source of income in the region, but Pakistani authorities have imposed strict restrictions on local traders, which demonstrators say has severely impacted Baloch livelihoods.
The protesters called for an immediate end to such restrictions and demanded the return of their confiscated goods.
As of now, there has been no official response from the Pakistan Coast Guard or local authorities regarding the protest.