Prime Minister Imran Khan announced he had taken notice of the "very legitimate" demands of the Gwadar fishermen, adding that he would take strong action against illegal fishing by trawlers in the area.
The prime minister's tweet was followed by a series of protests by locals in Gwadar, who had taken to the streets to raise their voices for their rights.
"I have taken notice of the very legitimate demands of the hardworking fishermen of Gwadar. Will be taking strong action against illegal fishing by trawlers and will also speak to CM Balochistan," tweeted the premier.
Gwadar has seen protests for the past few weeks, sometimes featuring thousands of women with young children, speaking out against the large trawlers.
Locals say the trawlers, which are illegally plundering the Arabian seabed, are making it harder for fishermen to fish in the waters.
Fishing is one of the main sources of income for residents of the area. "It has become tough to run the kitchen now,” Rehana Gul, one of the protestors, had told Geo.tv, "In the last three or four years, there have been days when my husband, who is a fisherman, has come back empty-handed with no money to feed our children."
Despite protests from local fishermen about the fleets, they have received no response from the Gwadar Development Authority or the Balochistan government.
Anis Tarique Gorgej, the assistant deputy commissioner had said that the local administration is in touch with the protestors and all their concerns will be addressed.
"We are already working on stopping the trawlers and to facilitate trade at the Iranian border,” Gorgej had said. "But fulfilling all the demands will take some time.”
