Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered immediate measures to operationalize the port of Gwadar on a commercial basis, Radio Pakistan reported.
Tuesday presiding over a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad on Tuesday, the Prime Minister trained a committee, led by the Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal, responsible for working alongside stakeholders to ensure the development of the port in a fully functional and modern center.
“The port of Gwadar has the potential to transform itself into a key player in the regional economy, and we must accelerate its operationalization,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz, who also called for an international conference to raise awareness of importance Port strategic.
He stressed the importance of developing a complete marketing strategy and strengthening diplomatic efforts to highlight the port potential.
The meeting was informed of the capacity of Gwadar Port to accommodate ships up to 50,000 tonnes of dead weight, providing vital access to the Persian Gulf and serving as a transhipment point for the Gulf countries.
In addition, the port should play a key role in the development of the mining and aquaculture sectors of Baloutchistan and will facilitate trade with China and Central Asia.
The meeting also discussed the tax exemptions granted to the free zone of Gwadar, aimed at encouraging investment. The rules of the free zone have also been established to attract more investors.
Prime Minister Shehbaz has been informed that criminal negligence in dredging operations between 2018 and 2022 had had an impact on the depth of the port.
However, the dredging work completed in 2022-2023 restored the capacity of the port. All public service services are now available at the port, and several social protection projects, including the Pak-China friendship hospital and the Gwadar Institute of Technical Education, have been launched.
The government is also working to improve connectivity. A railway link with the main Pakistani railway line M-4 is being developed, and the Gwadar-Conqueta motorway, completed in 2018, has benefited several key areas of Balutchistan.
The construction of the Gwadar Eastbay motorway is progressing, with other plans for a road from Nokundi to Mashkhel and Mashkhel in Panjgur.
Iqbal proposed to modernize the inspection installations of the cargoes of the port using artificial intelligence to improve efficiency. The Prime Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to the port of Gwadar a regional trade and development center.
