Gwadar - Transforming Into Dynamic Regional Economic Engine

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2023 ) :After stagnant progress on our future lifeline project during past four years - the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and important segment of Road and Belt Initiative of the Chinese government, is once again on way to taking strides.

The deep seaport of Gwadar, a crucial component of CPEC, has a special strategic significance as a facility not simply ensuring Pak-China connectivity but hyperlinking Central Asia, South Asia and the middle East, making it a center of future economic activities.

The project envisaged and executed during the PPPP and the PML-N governments suffered a snail pace progress during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf regime due to reasons well known to Imran Khan led coalition.

But now after the collective efforts of the civilian government as well as the establishment, it is once again inching closer step by step, to turning into a game-changer monetary hub for Pakistan and regional countries as well.

In line with its method to operationalize the seaport and deliver financial benefits to capture the alternate boom, the authorities in recent past imported around 450,000 Metric Tons (MT) wheat through nine vessels anchored at this newly-built facility.

"The initiation of trade activities with the import of wheat via Gwadar Port has marked the beginning of a new era of business, trade and commercial activities that would significantly benefit underprivileged Balochistan, especially Gwadar and Makran," said an official at Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.

"All the contractors, workforce, customs clearing agents, shipping agents, labor contractors and food suppliers etc. engaged in operation of Gwadar port for imports by TCP (Trading Corporation of Pakistan) are 100% from local population . . . and it will definitely help uplift living standards of the people of Balochistan," the official said.

In the second week of the current month, the ministry also announced the completion of the China Exhibition and Trading Center in a record time of six months at the Gwadar deep-sea port with the cost of $12 million. The project was completed by the China Offshore Ports Handling Company (COPHCL).

Meanwhile, Minister for Planning Professor Ahsan Iqbal has directed to conduct third International Expo Gwadar June 2023 at the newly established EXPO center. This Expo would coincide with the 10-year celebrations of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in July this year.

The development under CPEC aims to transform Gwadar into a major trade and economic hub, facilitating regional connectivity and enhancing Pakistan's maritime trade. The port's potential to become an energy and transport corridor, coupled with its strategic location, makes it a focal point for international investment and economic cooperation, driving economic growth and regional integration.

The present government's sincerity in uplifting Gwadar can be gauged from the fact that soon after assuming office last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the port city and announced a Rs 100 billion package for the Balochistan province, allocating a sizable amount for the city.

Besides, the inauguration of some key infrastructure projects including the Eastbay Expressway, he also directed completion of all ongoing projects of health, water and electricity in Gwadar within the stipulated time.

To give further impetus to the port's development, the Prime Minister also broke ground for associated sub-projects like Gwadar Seawater Desalination Plant, Jingtal Gwadar Private Limited, Hangmei Lubricant Plant, Hangeng Agricultural Industrial Park, Gwadar Expo Centre and Gwadar Fertilizer Plant and distributed 3,000 solar panels.

The 19.49 km six-lane Eastbay Expressway connecting Gwadar Port to Makran Coastal Highway, also provides a link to country's economic hub Karachi. It is a major infrastructure mobility project in Gwadar parallel to the coastline and hoped to serve as a source of sustainable development in the area.

According to the official sources, some 20 new projects would be completed in 2023 and onward as per their scheduled timeframes.

They added that the projects completed so far in the city under the multi-billion Dollar CPEC include Gwadar Port, Gwadar Free Zone South (Phase I), Eastbay Expressway, Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute (PCT & VI), China-Pakistan Gwadar Faqeer Middle school, Fiber Optic, E-Custom system (WeBOC), Plant Tissue Culture Lab & Green House, livestock, women-led garment factory, Gwadar University and GDA-Indus Hospital.

The other ongoing projects in Gwadar include Gwadar Free Zone North (Phase 11), the Gwadar Safe City Project, three electricity projects, the Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan, the Gwadar Tourism Project, New management model of Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute (PCT & VI), State of Art Shipyard Project, Oil Refinery project, Green Gwadar Project, Pak-China Friendship Hospital, fisher community projects, Gwadar Port dredging project, Export-oriented projects, Fishing industry, Warehouse industry and Gwadar Huafa Exhibition and Trading Center.

In the coming days, a number of new projects are being launched-inaugurated in Gwadar - a centerpiece of the CPEC which is strategically located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and has the immense potential to become a major hub for trade and commerce in the region.

What is direly needed is to ensure that no regime in future spoils such vital project for our economic growth through their faulty and inefficient policies. Because doing this not only enhance the loan burden on our economy and people but also pushed us years back on road to progress.