Operations of airport to start in Sept 2023: Gwadar Port to be shining pearl of entire region, says GDA chief

LAHORE: Director General of the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Mujeeb Ur Rehman Qambrani has said that the Gwadar Port is going to be a shining pearl in the entire region, as the largest Gwadar International Airport would be operational next year in Sept 2023 to connect it to the major cities of Pakistan and the world.

In a presentation to the business community of Punjab provincial capital, held here at a local hotel, the GDA DG stated that the seaport was getting ready to anchor the mother ships of up to 70,000 Metric Tons. He announced that the Gwadar is now being linked to the national grid by the end of next year, as an agreement of power supply of 100MW has been signed in this regard to lessen city’s dependence on electricity supply from Iran.

Moreover, the 300MW coal power plant is also under construction to fulfill the immediate electricity needs of this coastal city. He revealed the GDA was going to have a big investment conference in Gwadar to attract new investment in manufacturing sector in the area.

The Director General of GDA informed the businessmen that a chain of International Sea Food is being launched in Gwadar’s West Bay’s kaleidoscopic waters, transforming this site into a major tourist attraction. He revealed in his presentation that a dispute resolution committee was also formed to address the grievances of the new allottees in this area.

In the presentation, Mujeeb Qambrani detailed the various other mega activities in Gwadar and glimpsed the future of the geostrategic future corridor of energy, trade, and logistics to center 70% of the world.

With a view to closely interact with the business community of the upcountry, Mujeeb Qambrani visited Lahore’s major industrial associations, textile bodies, auto parts manufacturers, chambers and trade bodies’ representatives, including Pakistan Industrial & Traders Associations Front (PIAF), the Businessmen Panel (BMP), Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, PAAPAM, Daroghawala Industrial Association, Sunder Industrial Estate and the members of the Transport Association. The GDA DG also participated in the recently-held Pakistan Auto Show 2022 with a view to making liaison with the investors, who had never visited Gwadar to convince them to set up the industrial units in the coastal city.

Mujeeb Qambrani said that Balochistan Chief Minister, Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, while sensing the Gwadar essentiality, looked, trying to dust its face. He said that Gwadar has always been revolving around real estate since 2003 and was less focused on the core areas of the economy such as industry, business and tourism, now our provincial government, under the leadership of Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, is paying full attention to convert it into a manufacturing hub. He said that two new dams and desalination plants have been set up to meet the water requirement of the city, which was earlier facing shortage of water.

He said that Balochistan is the less developed province of Pakistan. Climate change is showing disastrous impacts on the province. Along with that, people, living in various regions, don’t have access to clean drinking water. In such a situation, desalination plants could be a feasible option not only in Gawadar but also in the whole province.

For business and industrial activities, Gwadar was getting a tax holiday; and a special economic zone to remove the hierarchy and introduced the flat-management system to scramble up the decision-making. All is set to opening a single window for the investors.

He reiterated that the whole country attaches great importance to the development of Gwadar Port, which would become a shining pearl of the region.

He said Gwadar would enjoy a bright future with the development of port industries, by building export processing zones. By developing the port, the city will be developed as a whole, thus to become a benchmark for harmonious development, as well as a demonstration window for the success of Belt and Road Initiative.

He appreciated the efforts made by the armed forces in safeguarding the CPEC projects, underscoring that the safety is the premise of everything.

The businessmen, while participating in the presentation, said that Gwadar was the hub of CEPC, which could pull out the country from the economic crises.

Unfortunately, Gwadar had to face many podiums, which halted its journey. The trade and industry representatives assured that they were willing to initiate their new ventures in the port city if Balochistan government can control the law and order situation, provide ease of doing business, eradicate land disputes and start infrastructure development on a fast track.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022