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In 2011, Aslam Raisani, the then Chief Minister of Balochistan, declared Gwadar the winter capital of the province. Given the harsh Quetta winter, the idea of a winter capital was always there. (at times Sibi was considered the right place for that position). Once again, Gwadar is in the limelight; with its would-be winter capital status "restored". The decision has been taken in view of the growing importance of the city as a future hub of the country. Its new status as a link between China's "One Belt, One Road" plan and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Gwadar seaport is bound to grow into a viable commercial city, which in turn will need to have a fully functional infrastructure and effective administrative management. Accordingly, the secretariat of the winter capital is going to be set up in the District Provincial Complex where the offices of all departments will be moved - contrary to Raisani's modest plan to initially move only selected departments and a bench of the Balochistan High Court to Gwadar. The current plan will help expedite the development of the port city and ensure early completion of administrative works.
However, the government could not be unmindful of the difficulties involved, especially when a few of them are quite prohibitive. For one, you need to put in place a minimum workable basic infrastructure. As winter for a good four months, Gwadar will be the place of residence of thousands of government employees. Not to mention, the countless people having to visit, say, the offices of the provincial government for this reason or that. But do we have accommodation for at least the government servants? Then, there is the issue of the slow pace of urbanization and intractable problems with utility services, particularly water supply. Bridging these inadequacies requires lots of funds, which may not be readily available to the provincial government. When you talk of a winter capital, you talk of a city alive with a hustling-bustling multitude, which Gwadar is not at this time. Given Quetta is too inhibitive in winter, its underground water level is declining, and its streets are overcrowded, but is Gwadar ready to take more people than what it now has - especially when it was starving for water this past summer? There is nothing wrong with the plan to make Gwadar Balochistan's winter capital, but time for that role for some months, a great deal is required to be undertaken by the provincial government.

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