THESE are ominous words from Gwadar. Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, chairman of the Gwadar Haq Do Tehreek, has warned that his supporters will not hesitate to take up arms if their demands remain unmet. At the moment, it is unclear whether Mr Rehman`s patience has actually run out or whether he is simply jockeying for public attention ahead of the general elections. Striking a comparably softer tone in the same press conference, Mr Rehman also said, `We will continue our peaceful, democratic struggle within the Constitution as it directly concerns the survival of the local population.` It is hoped, both for his sake and the people of Gwadar`s, that he will stick to the latter path. Violence is never a solution to matters that can be decided with reason and negotiation. If the state has indeed failed to keep its agreements with the HDT, the latter should keep pushing to secure its rights through legitimate means. It has ample capability to do so, as demonstrated by its well-attended protests and demonstrations in the past. Turning to unlawful means now would only result in the movement losing the positive momentum it has gained over the years.

At the same time, however, the state also needs to reassess its approach to addressing the legitimate concerns of Gwadar`s people. The HDT movement has consistently been asking for locals` livelihoods to be secured against rapacious commercial fishing operations; for the menace of drug smuggling to be eliminated; and for the removal of unnecessary restrictions on their trade and movement, which usually take the shape of army-controlled checkpoints. These demands do not seem unreasonable, and it is understandable why the HDT feels slighted by the authorities` failure to deliver. This is a regrettable situation that must be remedied at the earliest. In a region wreaked by violence, the HDT has offered the state a chance to demonstrate that politics can be a viable medium through which solutions can be found for the problems faced by the Baloch people. Both the caretaker prime minister and the interior minister hail from the province. They are expected to demonstrate a greater responsibility towards its welfare. They should do everything in their power to prevent what has so far remained a legitimate political movement from turning into yet another armed struggle against the state.