Gwadar is an internationally recognized city but is indulged into multiple severe anxieties. It is a port city on the southwestern seaboard of Balochistan. According to 2017’s census, the city’s population is 90,762. People of the city are facing intense issues like, absence of clean drinking water, high rate of unemployment, and lack of higher education, and many more.
This is a matter of great concern that an internationally recognised city is still deprived of higher education. The existing sub-campus of Turbat University in Gwadar is a great response from the government to stress their efforts in providing a university in Gwadar. But, unfortunately, most of the teachers are on study leave, keeping behind hundreds of students’ careers on stake. What is the need to send most of the teachers abroad at one time for higher education?
As a result of insufficient facilities, the students are bound to end their careers early, mostly the girls who face several problems while they travel to other cities for higher studies. It is not affordable for many other families to migrate to other cities to provide higher education to their children. The given negligence of the government is watering the dying roots of illiteracy in Gwader and of the closest parts of it.
However, education system in the city is thoroughly dilapidated. Residents are longing for higher education, which seems unessential exertion by administrators. In 2016, it was promised by the representatives in power to people of Gwadar that a university would be provided to them the soonest, but yet unfulfilled. However, the bill to build the ‘University of Gwadar’ was passed but the construction never began in practical.
Recently, the whole philomaths used a hashtag of #GwadarNeedsUniversity and raised their voices but all went in vain. According to an article, the city has only one college and many other schools which are deprived of teachers and the literacy rate is surmised to be 25% only. Government has completely failed in dragging benefits from China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to the locals of the city.
Is Gwader Stadium a symbol of progress?
Recently, few attractive pictures of Gwadar Cricket Stadium went viral which stimulated every individual by their captivation. Even, International Cricket Council (ICC) could not stop itself to share its pleasure via pictures.
Tabraiz Shamsi, a South African left-arm unorthodox spinner, adjudged the stadium as his 3rd most beautiful stadium in the world. But, several questions burst out from knowledge of the people. They started interrogating how the stadium fulfills their dire needs of clean drinking water, a good education, provision of jobs and a relieved life for poor fishermen? Senior citizens have already paid bad impression on the construction of stadium and, at the same time, they do not have water to drink.
Establishing a stadium is really an excellent progress, but only when the most and fundamental amenities are given. Alas, the stadium bans, according to the sources, the local players for the outdoor game of cricket. The stadium should implement no ban on any local.
Undoubtedly, sports can decrease the unemployment ratio because history witnesses that several nations progressed through sports. Gwadar abundantly has multi-talented players who can list their names in world’s sports history like, Sachin Tendulkar, Brain Lara, MS Dhoni, Shohaib Akhtar, Chris Gyle, AB De Villiers and so on.
Along with establishing a stadium, government must pay attention towards other essential needs of citizens. Water scarcity is an enormous anxiety in the city. As far as the news coming from the city are concerned, people of Gwader are ambitious of potation of pure and clean drinking water; it is the first ask of every citizen. People are bound to fetch water from various ponds and tankers which is severely aconitic. People suffer from several diseases due to consumption of unhygienic water.
Once, Sun Weidong, the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan during Nawaz government, stated, “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an end of unemployment in Balochistan, especially in Gwadar”, but short after his statement, a person committed suicide in Balochistan due to unemployment and poverty. Government must acquire a positive change for Gwadar, not only for its port.
“Emerging Balochistan” is a top trend hashtag in social media, but its existence is not seen in practical grounds. Estimable calls are coming across the world for Gwadar, but they do not know what actually Gwadar’s citizens are facing. Devouring their rights and not providing anything in regard is really the violation of their rights. Provincial and federal governments are urged to facilitate Gwadar in each and every aspect.