Gwadar Port road connectivity to be completed by end of 2021
The road connectivity of Gwadar Port with the 2nd Phase of the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) will be completed by the end of 2021 which will facilitate the business climate of the zone and the port alike.
Pakistan and China also agreed that Power Purchase Agreement of 300mw Coal Power Project was made as a deliverable for the forthcoming 10th JCC. The project upon completion would energise industry in Gwadar and improve the social and economic well-being of the local community.
Meanwhile a press statement issued here stated that the 5th Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Gwadar was held through a video link on Monday here. The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Planning, Development, & Special Initiatives (MoPD&SI), Mathar Niaz Rana from the Pakistan side and Director General, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ying Xiong, from the Chinese side. In his opening remarks, Director General, NDRC said that the development of the Gwadar was a priority and would be pushed forward with vigour and zeal. The Secretary, PD&SI acknowledged the continuous support extended by Chinese government for the development of Gwadar and assured the Chinese side of Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to accelerate the development projects in Gwadar.
The meeting reviewed the progress of projects in Gwadar. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress made in port development and Chinese side appreciated the support provided by Pakistan in the port operationalisation, particularly enabling the Afghan transit trade through Gwadar. It was agreed that this step would greatly reduce the logistic cost and facilitate the trans-shipment trade. The Chairman CoPHCL explained the development of the port in detail and highlighted renewed interest of the entrepreneurs in investing in Gwadar Port and Free Zone area. It was informed that the Eastbay Expressway will be completed in 2021 and all pending issues have been resolved on priority. The Expressway will connect the port with the 2nd Phase of the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) which will facilitate the business climate of the zone and the port alike. Other projects discussed included New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) and M-8 Motorway for seamless connectivity of Gwadar with the rest of the country and beyond. The progress on the NGIA was noted with satisfaction.
The Chinese side appreciated progress on the Energy Project in Gwadar. The Power Purchase Agreement of 300mw Coal Power Project was made as a deliverable for the forthcoming 10th JCC. The project upon completion will energize industry in Gwadar and will improve the social and economic well-being of the local community.
Other projects in the social sector discussed during the meeting included Pak-China Friendship Hospital in Gwadar and Vocational & Technical Institute in Gwadar. For the Vocational & Technical Institute, both sides agreed to push ahead create job opportunities for the youth.
For the development of Gwadar as a smart port city, it was reiterated that provision of fresh water was of utmost importance. In this regard, the 1.2 MGD Desalination plant project was termed critical. Both sides agreed to take necessary measure to complete the project in time.
The dredging of Berthing Areas is important for large vessels to access the Gwadar port which will improve the operationally of the port. For the construction of Breakwater, the timely completion of the project was stressed as a crucial intervention required for the fishermen community in Gwadar. The Secretary, PD&SI proposed to divide the project in to two phases for better implementation of the project. DG, NDRC replied in affirmative and appreciated the idea.
The Secretary PD&SI also appreciated the projects under Corporate Social Responsibility including Fraternity Emergency Care Centre of the Red Crescent Society of China, Pak-China Faqeer Colony School and other initiatives of the China Overseas Port Holding Company.
The meeting was also attended by other senior officials of the M/O PD&SI, representatives of the government of Balochistan, Civil Aviation Authority, Board of Investment, and Ministry of Maritime Affairs amongst others.