Gwadar - A Jewel in the Crown

[Omar1984]

‘Gwadar port to improve national, provincial economy’
​

QUETTA: Gwadar deep port would promote massive economic activity in the region which would not only benefit local people but also cast positive impact on overall economy of the province and the country.

District Nazim Gwadar, Abdul Ghafoor Kalmati talking to APP here Friday strongly rejected the apprehensions among some quarters regarding development of the port and said it would help bring Balochistan’s coastal areas into socio-economic mainstream and serve as a catalyst for fast track development of the province.

“Establishment of special economic zones, free trade zone, and Export Processing Zone (EPZ) would attract foreign investment creating innumerable job opportunities for local youth which would directly raise the living standard of their families”, he said

PML (Q) MPA, Sheikh Jaffar Mandokheil said Gwadar seaport is best in the region having geographic potential to link the region.

Gwadar port will not only open up the hinterland but also the people of Mekran who are associated with fishing and agriculture, especially growing dates will have access to easier transportation for dates export to foreign markets.

“Development of an integrated transport system-road and rail links to CARs and rest of the country will also enhance the local people’s access to new avenues for their development and prosperity”, he concluded.

The provincial minister for Fisheries, Hamal Kalmati said for landlocked Central Asian economies, Balochistan offers access to new resources and markets and the prospect of more rapid growth. He said there was no insurgency in the province, just a political protest, and there was a need to talk with Balochistan’s political leaders to take them on board.

He stated that everyone was cooperating with the development of Gwadar and Balochs need to be provided the opportunity to work.

Although there would be massive demographic change in Gwadar, he dismissed the idea that Balochs would become a minority in their own province. app

 

[Omar1984]

Government approves Rs 7.5bn construction of Gwadar Int’l Airport
​

* CDWP approves 42 projects worth Rs 107.2 billion

By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party on Thursday approved 42 national importance projects worth Rs 107.2 billion including foreign aid component of Rs 10 billion.

The 42 projects included Construction of New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) and Allied Facilities Rs 7.5 billion including Rs 1.312 billion as FEC. The scheme envisages construction of state of the art NGIA, along with allied facilities over a piece of land already acquired measuring 4300 acres. The construction of the NGIA would be undertaken in phased programme over a 30-year period.

The airport would be developed as a green-field airport and all major components of an airport would be developed as part of this project. The officials claimed that the NGIA would be the business gateway to Pakistan through the city of Gwadar. The government had already allocated Rs 750 million in the PSDP 2009-10 for construction of the airport.

The total 42 development projects included, 27 projects in Infrastructure Sector costing Rs 49.3 billion, 13 projects in Social Sector costing Rs 57.6 billion. In addition, 2 projects relating to Commerce and Industry costing Rs 0.3 billion were approved today. Realizing the gravity and demand for energy, the government approved various projects like Establishment of 132 KV Grid Station, Bajaur costing Rs 453 million and Dargai Pall small Dam in South Waziristan Agency costing Rs 313.232 million .

These schemes would not only resolve the electricity problem of these areas but also generate employment opportunity for people of backward areas. The CDWP meeting authorized the WAPDA to undertake feasibility study of Pattan Hydro Power Project, which would generate 2800 MW of electricity.

For improvement and development of Transport Sector, Bridges across the River Indus connecting Larkana & Khairpur, linking Kandhkot located on the National Highway N-55 with Ghotki, and a bridge on River Ravi Kamalia Harrapa Rd. district Toba Tek Singh have been recommended to ECNEC at cost of Rs 17.4 billion. Construction of these bridges would provide a better link in economically backward areas and reduce the distance between major towns.

For rehabilitation of the damages in Swat and to improve the socio economic condition of the area through multi sectoral activities, i.e. provision of social infrastructure, the CDWP recommended Swat Development Package to ECNEC costing Rs 4 billion. This project would greatly help to resettle the IDPs and help generate economic activity in that area.

Population Welfare Programme, which was an on-going activity executed in all provinces, has been recommended to the ECNEC for its further extension up to year 2014 costing Rs 50 billion. The meeting, however, has set up a committee to make recommendations to devise a better delivery mechanism.

The CDWP also considered 3 concept papers namely: Disaster Management Programme Sindh, Communication System for Coastal Management in Arabian Sea (JICA) and lastly, to increase the participation of Girls Students at the Middle Schooling level and reduce drop outs in the rural area of Sindh. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali chaired the meeting. The meeting was attended by the sponsoring agencies and the representative of provincial governments and special areas.

 

[geoshahjee]

Pakistan at an ideal position to provide sea outlet to Central Asia and Pakistan through Gawadar port. The most significant aspect of Gawadar port-Central Asia land distance is 3400 kilometers. Considering this shortest route, four countries, Pakistan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan signed a quadrilateral agreement for "Traffic in Transit". Through this agreement, Central Asian countries will access to Gawadar port.

 

[Omar1984]

5th urea ship arrives at Gwadar ​

KARACHI: The fifth ship carrying 45,574 metric tonnes of urea for Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) berthed at the Gwadar Port on Tuesday. A TCP official said that with the arrival of MV Star Cosmos from Oman, the total imported quantity for Rabi season has reached 175,449 MT of urea from the awarded quantity of 600,000 MT. app

 

[Omar1984]

Navy establishes medical facility at Gwadar ​

Pakistan Navy has established a medical facility for the local population of Gwadar. The facility includes free medical check up and provision of medicines to the people who are unable to meet basic medical needs due to inadequate financial resources. Apart from male doctors, a lady medical officer has especially been appointed for medical check up of female patients.

The medical facility is a continuation of the efforts that Pakistan Navy has been making for long to help people along the coastal belt in basic healthcare and education, spokesperson, Inter Services Public Relations, said on Thursday.

The spokesman added that a school would also be set up at Ormara and free medical camps and establishment of ‘Naval Utility Centres’ in various costal cities would be set up as well.

 

[Kuuba]

Why China didn't win the contract of the operation and management of Gwadar Port? Who knows?

Thanks.

 

[bigmoneymaker]

singapore has the world class management experience as its position as a ceter hub in south east asia.....that is why it can outbeat china in this competition ....furthermore , if china taking over the management the outsiders will consider this action as this commercial port has been controlled by china for ill intention use....do you know the china image in the minds of nowadays foreigners especially the westerners??? know this fact and you will know what to do....if you dont know this fact then you give pakistanis the impression that you asked this question like a great china chauvinist.......

 

[ajpirzada]

much blame has been put on PSA for not making the right investment. they might be a part of this mess but its also bec so far GOP has failed to transfer the owner ship of land by the Gwadar port to PSA as promissed. land is under the control of navy and i cant think of y they cant relocate somewhere else.
other factors are obviously poor infrastructure which is currently underconstruction and will be completed by 2011 atleast.

 

[Kuuba]

singapore has the world class management experience as its position as a ceter hub in south east asia.....that is why it can outbeat china in this competition ....furthermore , if china taking over the management the outsiders will consider this action as this commercial port has been controlled by china for ill intention use....do you know the china image in the minds of nowadays foreigners especially the westerners??? know this fact and you will know what to do....if you dont know this fact then you give pakistanis the impression that you asked this question like a great china chauvinist.......

No offense. I asked because I was not wise enough to understand why China didn't use her influence to win the contract. Thanks for your explanation.

Port management experience should not be a big challenge :
WORLD PORT RANKING - 2007
TOTAL CARGO VOLUME
THOUSANDS OF TONS
RANK PORT COUNTRY MEASURE TONS
1 Shanghai China metric 561,446
2 Singapore Singapore freight 483,616
3 Ningbo-Zhoushan China metric 471,630
4 Rotterdam Netherlands metric 401,181
5 Guangzhou China metric 341,363
6 Tianjin China metric 309,465
7 Qingdao China metric 265,020
8 Qinhuangdao China metric 245,964
9 Hong Kong China metric 245,433
10 Busan South Korea revenue 243,564
11 Dalian China metric 222,859
12 Nagoya Japan freight 215,602
13 South Louisiana US metric 207,785
14 Shenzhen China metric 199,190
15 Kwangyang South Korea revenue 198,190

CONTAINER TRAFFIC
TEUs - Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units
RANK PORT COUNTRY TEUS
1 Singapore Singapore 27,935,500
2 Shanghai China 26,152,400
3 Hong Kong China 23,998,449
4 Shenzhen China 21,103,800
5 Yingkou(Liaonian) China 13,713,000
6 Busan South Korea 13,254,703
7 Rotterdam Netherlands 10,790,604
8 Dubai Ports UAE 10,653,026
9 Kaohsiung Taiwan 10,256,829
10 Hamburg Germany 9,917,180
11 Qingdao China 9,430,600
12 Ningbo China 9,258,800
13 Guangzhou China 9,200,000
14 Los Angeles US 8,355,038
15 Antwerp Belgium 8,175,951

 

[TaimiKhan]

Why China didn't win the contract of the operation and management of Gwadar Port? Who knows?

Thanks.

Because, China is constructing the port and is involved in other big projects too, so if it had been given to it directly without any tender would have created a problem and the impression of beings one of its pearls would have become true, also further meant to diversify the source in portfolio of FDI in Pakistan.

 

[Omar1984]

No harm if district govt takes over ​

Sunday, December 06, 2009


KARACHI: Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri has said that if the Gwadar Port is given under the City District Government to run its affairs there is no harm in it.

“We will support this for the development and progress of the port, local people and the area,” he said.

Gwadar Port is to be used for transshipment and in this regard work is under process and the main hurdle is land dispute, he said, adding, “we are looking at this matter and trying to solve it so the port can be fully operational.”

He said this at the inauguration of the Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) Bridge.

He added that latest and modern scanners are being installed at the Port Qasim with US government’s support and more advance and modern scanners will be installed at other ports as well with their support.

Ghauri said that there is a need to combat extremism and terrorism to sustain development and modernisation, adding uncertain law and order situation will shatter the progress and development of the country.

Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) is the only Pakistani terminal operator with high growth and is performing much better than others. He added that in the second phase the bridge would be connected with MA Jinnah Road.

Captain Haleem A Siddiqui, Chairman PICT, said that PICT has undertaken development of a new bridge along with an eight-lane gatehouse to expand its gate capacity.

The cost of the bridge is Rs230 million and is designed to cater to the heaviest traffic emanating from the port. Bridge was completed in two years and design consultancy was provided by NESPAK.

He added that PICT is very actively developing the port infrastructure and said that next year in March PICT will start online records of inward and outward cargo on entry and exit gates. PICT handled over half a million TEUs in financial year 2008-09.

Nasreen Haque, Chairperson Karachi Port Trust, speaking on the occasion briefed about KPT’s progress and ongoing and future projects. She added the KPT is also pursuing landlord port doctrine which helps to better compete with regional ports and meet ever-growing challenges of international and regional sea-trade.

In this regard, an example of success of landlord port strategy is PICT, which has made remarkable progress since its inception.

She added that PICT and its management have achieved all the milestones in the shortest possible time.

 

[jupiter2007]

In 80's Zia ul haq and ISI created MQM and brought Altaf Hussian into power to weaken the PPP and Sindhi nationalist element's strong hold in Sindh.
Pakistan is in the position to separate Gwadar from Baluchistan and create a new province "Makran". Dr. Wahid Baloch should be selected as the governor of Makran.

 

[ajpirzada]

'Gwadar Port Authority' (GPA) to have non-executive professionals as the Chairman and members of the Board.

According to sources, under revised 'Gwadar Port Authority' (GPA) structure, the Chairman and members of the Board are proposed to be replaced with non-executive professionals, aiming at placing skilled people at the helm.

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[Omar1984]

China’s assistance remarkable for Balochistan’s development: Zardari ​

ISLAMABAD, Dec 10 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday said China’s invaluable assistance and support for Gwadar Port project had contributed towards the socio-economic development of Balochistan and would stand as a living testimony of Pak-China friendship for generations to come. Talking to Sun Ziyu, President China Harbour Engineering Company at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the Prime Minister said, “We envisage developing Gwadar not only as a trans-shipment port but also an energy port which can serve the economic interests of both Pakistan and China.”

He said the success of Gwadar Port can serve as a catalyst for Chinese exports from its western regions to the rest of the world, adding “we would like Chinese enterprises to undertake developmental projects and increased Chinese investment in the area.”

President Zardari said Pak-China friendly relations and mutual cooperation had become a shining example of friendly co-existence between two neighboring states.

Minister of States for Ports and Shipping Sardar Nabil Ahmed Gabol, Secretary General to the President Salman Faruqui and Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar were also present during the meeting.


Thank You China !!!

 

[ajpirzada]