Gwadar’s Ownership: Myths vs. Historical Evidence — Khalid Baloch

Writter: Khalid Baloch

Gwadar, despite its visual allure and historical as well as strategic significance, has often remained obscured from the limelight in recent history. Due to its geo-strategic location and role as a gateway to the Strait of Hormuz, Gwadar has long attracted attention and become a focal point of interest.

Many superpowers of the past—such as the Portuguese, British, Arabs, Mongols, and Russians—attempted to capture this coastal city. However, the environmental attributes of Gwadar have never been friendly to hostile forces—neither in the past nor in the present. Another factor that caused these forces to retreat and not remain for long was the scarcity of drinkable water.

Nevertheless, much of Balochistan’s history, especially regarding Gwadar, has been recorded through colonial or post-colonial lenses, which often omit or reinterpret local narratives. The colonizers and later state-centric perspectives tend to underplay Baloch sovereignty, indigenous governance, and the terms under which territories like Gwadar changed hands.

Even though many invaders called it a rugged land between towering mountains and the deep blue sea, with hard soil and warlike men, life was never easy. Yet, the people of Makran—strong and proud—called it home.

Above all, they might have been mistaken to call it home. As Mahmoud Darwish put it:

> جهلتُ أن الوطن يُؤخذ ولا يُعطى، فسمّيتُكِ وطني
“I called you homeland out of ignorance, for homelands are taken, not given.”

The relative inconspicuousness and marginalization of Balochistan, particularly Gwadar, have led to a scarcity of accurate knowledge, allowing misrepresentations to dominate accessible literature—aggravated by historical attempts of foreign invaders and global superpowers to distort and manipulate the region’s history for their strategic interests.

A Short History of Makran

Gwadar is an antediluvian and primeval town that has always considered and held a significant place in the history of Makran. A thorough study and overview of Makran’s past is therefore essential to understand the heritage of the region in general, and that of Gwadar in particular. Positioned at the crossroads of the Middle East and South Asia, no segment of Balochistan has contemplated so prominently in ancient chronicles as Makran—an area steeped in legendary lore dating back to ancient times.

Through the traces of certain mounds and cairns (known locally as dambi), when people enshrouded themselves to survive famines, historians have traced Makran’s antiquity as far back as the era of Prophet Dawood (AS).

In Shahnameh, the prominent Persian poet Ferdowsi described the reigns of Iranian and Turanian kings in Makran. Afrasiab, a Turanian emperor, reigned briefly over Makran until he was subdued by Kai Khusrau. Their conquests are remembered not merely as political episodes, but as allegories of power over a defiant land.

The prolonged Persian rule ended after Alexander’s conquest in 325 BC. According to Arrian’s accounts in Anabasis of Alexander, this region—known to the Greeks as Gedrosia—was marked by a treacherous journey. Alexander’s fleet, under Admiral Nearchus, traced the coast through Kalmat, Gwadar, Pishukan, and Chahbahar. The land was called Ichthyophagoi—the land of fish eaters—an etymology that evolved into Makran from Mahi Khoran.

From Fish Eaters to Forgotten Frontiers

The accounts of Alexander’s expedition highlight the extreme inhospitality of the terrain. The blazing heat and scarcity of water destroyed a large part of his army. Nearchus wrote that Alexander chose this route deliberately—to surpass Semiramis and Cyrus, both of whom had failed here with only a handful of survivors.

For the next several centuries, Makran passed through the hands of various empires—Seleukos, the Sassanians, Rai Chach, the Arabs, and later Mongols. The Arabs first entered Makran during the Caliphate of Umar. But even after conquering it, the Arab general wrote to the Caliph:

“It is a country of which the mountains are mountains indeed… the inhabitants are the most warlike of men… If thy army is small, it shall perish; if large, it shall starve.”

Makran, and its heart Gwadar, has always been hostile to outsiders—not just geographically but historically and politically. As Ibn-e-Batuta and Marco Polo also documented, the region stood as a peculiar kingdom with its own language, culture, and trade practices.

Colonial Mediation and the Muscat Misconception

The story of Gwadar’s foreign rule begins not with conquest but with betrayal.

In 1783, Prince Saiad Sultan bin Ahmad of Muscat fled to Makran amidst dynastic conflict. Mir Naseer Khan of Kalat allowed him to settle in Gwadar, lending it temporarily for sustenance—not sovereignty. Naseer Khan’s words were clear: “As soon as Muscat is recovered, make over Gwadar to me.” But this pact was dishonored.

As British interest in the region grew, they endorsed Sultan’s claim and declared Gwadar part of Muscat. British gazetteers, while supporting Muscat’s suzerainty, also documented resistance from the Gichki tribe and Mirwari elders who kept receiving revenues from the enclave, reinforcing that no permanent handover had occurred.

Major Henry Green, Political Agent in Kalat, even wrote in 1880: “The British should purchase Gwadar and present it to Kalat.” But colonial interests overrode local justice.

The Repatriation of Gwadar

When Pakistan gained independence, Gwadar was still ruled by Oman. Realizing its strategic and historical relevance, Pakistan requested the British to mediate its return. Initially, the British declined—fearing oil discoveries and strategic naval advantages falling into uncertain hands. But geopolitical shifts soon changed their stance.

In 1958, with India also expressing interest in Gwadar and Oman desperate for funds, Pakistan paid £3 million to reclaim the enclave. On 8 September 1958, Gwadar was officially transferred to Pakistan through British intermediaries. However, the voices of local Baloch were never consulted in this transaction.

For Baloch nationalists and historians, it was not a moment of acquisition—but restoration.

A Port Reclaimed, But For Whom?

Despite the symbolic significance of reclaiming Gwadar, its people have remained sidelined from decisions about their land. Gwadar has become the centerpiece of CPEC—a mega-initiative linking China to global trade through Pakistani territory. With over $46 billion in proposed investments, modern port infrastructure, and highways connecting it to Central Asia and China, Gwadar is portrayed as a symbol of prosperity.

Yet, local residents often see only fences, forced relocations, and restricted access to their ancestral shores. The dream of regional development is spoken in foreign tongues and signed in distant capitals.

As the world praises Gwadar’s promise, the question persists—who truly owns Gwadar?

Conclusion

Gwadar is not merely a port; it is a palimpsest of resilience and betrayal. Its landscape tells stories that the official records often silence. As Darwish reminds us, “homelands are taken, not given”—and in Gwadar’s case, even its return came not as a gift to its people, but as a transaction among powers.

For Gwadar to truly belong to Balochistan, its people must not only be acknowledged in history books—but be placed at the center of its future.