Gwadar - A Jewel in the Crown

[UnitedPak]

Oman helps Establishing of Museum at Gwadar

ISLAMABAD, Jan 1 (APP): The Ambassador of Oman Mr. Mohmed Al‑Lawati, who called on Secretary Culture here today, handed over artifacts which include gun, sword shield, dagger, necklace, anklets & bracelet to the Department of Archaeology, government of Pakistan for their display in the Gwadar Fort Museum.

The Ambassador also handed over a cheque of US$ 20,000/‑ for revamping the Museum at Gwadar Fort.

It may be mentioned that the Government of Pakistan has also planned to display the material of archaeological significance of Shahi Tump, Miri Qalat and other sites of the area presently lying in the Department of Archaeology’s Exploration branch, Karachi together with ethnological material of Makran in the Museum at Gwadar Fort.
The Museum will get added significance in view of the Gwadar city developing as a hub of commercial activities in the future when the port will become fully operational.
The Museum is expected to be inaugurated in three months time which will provide an opportunity to the people to know heritage of the region source of inspiration and education to the general public, including students and visitors from all walks of life.

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency )

 

[UnitedPak]

Pak 5 Rs notes with Gwadar port.

 

[Neo]

Inter-ministerial meeting: transportation of urea from Gwadar to upcountry reviewed​

ISLAMABAD (January 02 2009): An-inter-ministerial meeting on Thursday reviewed urea crisis in the country, including transportation of 60,000 tonnes urea to the upcountry already reached at Gwadar port. According to an official statement, Minister for Industries and Production Mian Manzoor Ahmad Watto, who chaired the meeting, stated that up to January 15.

A total of 300,000 metric tonnes of imported urea would be transported to the country for distribution among local farmers. Besides 350,000 tonnes of local urea for which National Fertiliser Corporation (NFC) and Utility Stores Corporation (USC) have arranged transport and warehouses.

Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Mohammad Gondal, Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Ahmed Ali Aolak and Parliamentary Secretary of MOI&P, Pir Haider Ali Shah, besides the owners of fertiliser manufacturing companies and representative of concerned department were also present in the meeting.

During the meeting, the Minister directed the concerned officials that immediate measures should be taken for urea transportation so that the farmers could get the required fertiliser in time.

Watto directed the NFC Chairman and the USC Managing Director to work day and night in the national interest and ensure supply of urea at the doorsteps of farmers. He asked the NFC authority that 350,000 metric tonnes, ie 50 percent of local urea production, should be obtained from the local manufacturers by January 15 for which orders and payment be released immediately.

Additional Secretary of Industries, Additional Secretary of Agriculture, Punjab and Sindh Secretaries of Agriculture Departments, Utility Stores Managing Director and National Fertiliser Corporation Chairman and Parliamentary Secretary Pir Haider Shah (NWFP) would be the members of this committee.

He said that members of National and provincial assemblies and Utility Stores area manager, NFC representatives, local tehsildar and officers of provincial agriculture departments would be members of the Teheil level committees, who will ensure proper distribution of urea among farmers on control prices.-PR

 

[Neo]

Slow dispatches mar Gwadar Port’s berthing ​

By Parvaiz Ishfaq Rana

Friday, 02 Jan, 2009

KARACHI: Six vessels have so far discharged around 105,033 tons of fertiliser at the Gwadar Port. But due to slow dispatch and off-take only 38,115 tons of the commodity has been lifted and a huge balance of 66,918 tons was still lying in the port area, official sources said on Thursday.

Port and shipping circles said that if the government did not improve the momentum of lifting fertiliser from the port the very objective of importing urea on urgent basis to meet the growers’ needs for the wheat crop would be defeated.

It will also defeat the purpose of making the Gwadar Port operational after a long period of three years on completion and inauguration in early 2006, the experts felt.

Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) is the agency for importing around 0.3 million tons of urea fertiliser and the tender and bidding for haulage of fertiliser from the port to the hinterland was carried out by National Fertiliser Marketing Ltd (NFML) working under the ministry of industries.

Consequently, four ministries are involved in importing, handling and transportation of the fertiliser, which needs to be coordinated properly so that the objective of ensuring timely availability of urea to the growers was not lost.

While the TCP, the importing agency, is working under the ministry of commerce, the ports and shipping ministry looks after the Gwadar Port.

However, haulage of fertiliser from the port to the hinterland is the responsibility of the ministry of industry and the ultimate beneficiary of the fertiliser import is the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal).

Initially, the dispatch of the fertiliser from the port remained even slower at 200 to 250 tons per day but gradually it improved to 3,000 tons.

There is still a greater need for the faster haulage to ensure direct delivery, which means dispatch of the fertiliser should match the discharge from the ship.

The ports and shipping experts believe this could only be ensured by improving lifting of fertiliser from the port area.

The NFML received 23 bids for the haulage of urea from the Gwadar Port but so far only eight were engaged after matching their bids with the two lowest bidders, who backed out.

This means that the NFML can still involve 13 more transporters by asking them to match their bids with the lowest ones and immediately start operations to remove the backlog of around 60,918 tons still lying at the port.

However, it is encouraging to note that the Gwadar Port is showing efficiency by allowing berths to three vessels at a time. Above all, it is a matter of achievement for Balochistan and the country at large to witness another port contributing towards economic progress, these experts said.

The stevedores should increase the number of gangs presently operating once the ministry of industries deploys more trucks for the haulage of urea from the port.

 

[UnitedPak]

Bookkeeping workshop held in Gwadar

Tuesday, January 06, 2009
By our correspondent

KARACHI: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and SMEDA jointly organised a workshop on bookkeeping in Gwadar the other day.

The workshop was aimed at enabling small entrepreneurs to understand the fundamentals of accounting and bookkeeping, thus facilitating small business owners to maintain relevant and reliable records that would help in internal and external decision-making as well as improved access to finance.

The workshop was conducted by ACCA member, Amin Ali. The workshop leader provided practical guidance to small business managers for maintaining cash books, records of inventory, debtors and creditors, maintaining productive working relationships with banks, preparing records of financial positions and performance of business.

The participants appreciated ACCA’s efforts in arranging a workshop that would assist in development of effective accounting records. Arif Masud Mirza, Head of ACCA Pakistan stated that, “the key to survival of small businesses is maintaining liquidity, thus ensuring that cash is being managed effectively and efficiently.” It is, hence, imperative that small businesses maintain dependable accounting records, he said.

Bookkeeping workshop held in Gwadar

 

[Neo]

‘Wheat unloading at Gwadar to cost additional Rs1.2bn’​

LAHORE, Jan 5: The federal government’s decision to unload 590,000 tons of imported wheat at the Gwadar Port later this month will cost it additional Rs1.24 billion, which it either has to pay itself or pass it on to consumers.

The Punjab Food Department, in a letter to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal), has resented the decision, calling it unnecessary and inflationary. The letter said other items like cars and machinery could be unloaded at Gwadar to make the port functional.

Using food items to port purposes could increase its prices, which would either way hurt the consumers, says an official of the Food Department. If the federal government picks up the cost, it will pay from tax payers’ money, which again will indirectly cost the people. If it directly passed on the cost to people, it would take the prices of food items up, he said.

The federal government’s decision to take wheat to Gwadar is officially based on two factors i.e. the dearth of berths at the Karachi port and to make the Gwadar port functional. Better planning at the Karachi Port could have helped clear imported wheat easily.

The imported wheat – around 590,000 tons – will take around 14 or 15 ships. One ship takes three to four days to clear the load.

According to the official, had the federal government staggered the wheat arrival and booked two berths, it could have easily cleared ships in three to four weeks.But the federal government put itself in a hard position by ordering entire wheat arriving in a two weeks’ time, which could exert pressure on the Karachi port. Now, in order to avoid that rush at the port or demurrage for standing ships, it has taken the entire shipment to the Gwadar port, escalating the cost beyond reasonable limits, he said and added: “Transportation cost from Gwadar to Karachi ranges between Rs2,000 to Rs2,200. If an average price of Rs2,100 per ton is taken, the total cost will touch Rs1.24 billion.”

The situation of the countries exporting items to Pakistan has also played a role in concentrating import in the end of January or start of February. For example, there are winter/Christmas holidays in Russia up to Jan 10. Thus the wheat will be loaded in the third week of January.

“The cost of transportation is also high because of there is no two way traffic to and from Gwadar,” says Muhammad Shabir – a transport owner.

The transporter owners do not get anything to transport to Gwadar as they get goods from Gwadar to Karachi and have to travel without any load from Karachi to Gwadar. The cost will come down when the port is fully operational and transports get enough goods to bring down their operational cost.

He agreed to the Punjab government’s suggestion that only luxury items should be off loaded at Gwadar, for the time being at least, and wait for transportation cost to come down for unloading food items.

 

[Neo]

Gwadar an ideal destination for local, foreign investors ​

Saturday, January 10, 2009

ISLAMABAD: With strategic and economic significance, Gwadar is well poised to unleash constructive opportunities for local as well as foreign investment in diverse fields.

Development work and business activities are gaining impetus at a fast pace with the Gwadar site getting transformed into an ideal destination for potential investors.

Gwadar has better potential and investment opportunities. The port has been constructed and recently one ship carrying 60,000 tonnes of wheat has docked. Once this port becomes fully operational, it will have more advantages. Pakistani entrepreneurs along with foreign investors can make joint ventures at Gwadar, which is not only flanked by planned location but is also a vital corridor to rich oil and mineral resources with close immediacy to Central Asian States, observed Chief Executive of Gwadar Business Associates, Col (R) Fazal-e-Maqbool Afridi.

As far as its geographical location is concerned in comparison to the Gulf ports, especially Dubai, it gives more facilities and will handle more cargo and trade because Gwadar is a deep-sea port and is located on a main shipping route. For Dubai, ships have to wait for days for route clearance due to Strait of Hormuz. The landlocked Central Asian States are also dependent on Gwadar, expressed Col Afridi.

China and other countries shall have short route to the world market maintained through Gwadar. The location of Gwadar Deep Sea Port is such that the whole world businesses converge and diverges at this place.

The whole region can also avail trans-shipment facility as the transit cargo (liquid and dry both) can easily be undertaken from Gwadar and transported to any part of the world in short span of time in comparison to other ports, he viewed. Due to trans-shipment there will be lots of requirements of warehousing and container yards, he stated adding, being a deep sea port on a main shipping route it will facilitate the movement of cargo.

The trade and business activities of all kinds and quantity, from needle to ship, will also flourish at Gwadar irrespective of the cost. Import and export of all items and magnitude is possible, because the means of transportation like sea, road, railway line (in near future) are available and linked with all important countries, he maintained.

Being a deep sea port and facilities for transportation available, industry of any kind is feasible, both of raw materials and finished products, the chief executive said continuing, the mineral deposits of Central Asia have no shorter route to transport them to the world markets, than Gwadar.

Similarly, the developed world can also reap these benefits only from Gwadar.

The transport industry will have to import all kinds of vehicles, especially heavy ones for fast delivering of goods at remote destinations as well as in the city limits. Gwadar Port will also be termed as an energy port. The gas and oil deposit of CIS will find their new storage destination in Gwadar because of its natural flow direction. Even Iran can benefit from Gwadar by having opening to the world market for its gas and oil.

The Pacific states and all those countries which are short of energy can easily be supplied Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) from Gwadar. Fishery is one of the most important economic activities in the Gwadar district, in which a vast majority of population is engaged. The district has a 600 kilometres long coast line which provides residents not only the means of income but also the food to subsist.

About one fourth of the total catch of different varieties in Pakistan is found in district Gwadar. On an annual basis there is potential for an additional catch of at least thousands of tonnes. Real-estate is a vibrant industry, he observed adding, there are plenty of chances available starting from construction as every thing new has to be developed and built. It has lot of potential for prices to rise and any investment made will fetch a handsome amount for investors.

The construction industry will also have a boom at Gwadar as there is a dearth of place to live or open an office. Every thing new has to be constructed.

Manufacturing industries will develop, especially automobile, steel re-rolling mills, ship building, refineries, fertiliser and electronic industry, he added.

 

[hj786]

Why is it so much more expensive to transport goods unloaded at Gwadar? Is the motorway link still not completed? Are there no rail links?
Are there any online maps of Pakistan that show the rail/road links? Google map doesnt seem to show much!

 

[UnitedPak]

Why is it so much more expensive to transport goods unloaded at Gwadar? Is the motorway link still not completed? Are there no rail links?
Are there any online maps of Pakistan that show the rail/road links? Google map doesnt seem to show much!

A lot of roads connecting to other Pakistani cities have been completed. The roads connecting to Central Asia and Middle East will all be completed by 2010.

Planned railway link:
Gwadar-Dalbadin: connecting on to existing Quetta-Dalbadin-Taftan-Zahidan (Iran) line.

Planned Road Network:
1. Gwadar-Turbat-Hushab-Khuzdar (connecting on to N-25) presently under construction.
2. Khuzdar-Ratodero (connecting on to N-55)
3. Gwadar-Ahmedvai (connecting on to N-40)
4. Gwadar-Gabd-Iran border (connecting on to the highway from Chahbahr northwards)

You should also read this:

Road network connecting Gwadar with neighbours scheduled to be completed within next year
http://www.defence.pk/forums/economy-development/1232-gwadar-jewel-crown-18.html#post256821

Major industries are mostly based in Karachi, so obviously using Gwadar turns out to be more expensive than Karachi ports. But the Govt is trying to attract businesses to Gwadar to kick start the development, and attract more investment. Only way to get people there.

Once the transport infrastructure is completed, Gwadar will be used by most of Central Asia, Western China and some of Middle East to access the Arabian sea. And just like any strategic port in the world, it will see massive investment and most likely become bigger than Karachi since a considerable part of Asia will be relying on it.

 

[Omar1984]

Once the transport infrastructure is completed, Gwadar will be used by most of Central Asia, Western China and some of Middle East to access the Arabian sea. And just like any strategic port in the world, it will see massive investment and most likely become bigger than Karachi since a considerable part of Asia will be relying on it.

No wonder everyone wants a piece of Pakistan.

Long Live Pakistan-China friendship and partnership

If I'm not mistaken, Gwadar port is already accessible to China via the Indus and Karakoram Highways.

 

[UnitedPak]

Work on provision of rail link to Gwadar port started,NA told

ISLAMABAD, Jan 12 (APP): The National Assembly was informed on Monday that the government was attaching great importance to development of road and rail links to Gwadar port.

While replying to a question by Marvi Memon,MNA on behalf of Minister for Ports and Shipping during Question Hour, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said that Frontier Works Organization started construction work of rail link with Gwadar port in November last year.She said that feasibility study was also being conducted for construction of 110‑km additional rail track linking Gwadar with rest of the country.

She further said that National Highway Authority (NHA) has already provided road connectivity to Gwadar port and was building more roads to provide connectivity to this port not only with other parts of the country but also Afghanistan,Central Asia and China.
To a supplementary question,she said that a plant for desalination of sea water has been set up to provide clean drinking water to the residents of Gwadar.

In the written reply Minister for Ports and Shipping said that efforts are underway for export of cement to Middle East and Persian gulf through Gwadar port.He said that a free zone will be set up at Gwadar for port related industries and businesses to supplement the port activities.

He said that import of wheat,fertilizer and coal had already started following the approval of Cabinet Coordination Committee of the Cabinet on December 8,2008.

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Work on provision of rail link to Gwadar port started,NA told

 

[khanz]

lets hope gwadar will be the new singapore

 

[Fennecus]

I'm a little behind on the news, but is China anti-piracy naval mission going to resupply at Gwadar?

 

[Omar1984]

Saturday, January 31, 2009

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan said on Friday that the government was focusing on improving the road infrastructure, bringing it to international standards in Balochistan so that the Gwadar Port could be connected with Iran, Afghanistan, China and the Central Asian States.

He said this during his meeting with Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani at his office. The chief minister stressed the need for completing the delayed road projects pending in Balochistan on priority.

The minister assured him that it was the priority of the government to complete the road infrastructure in Balochistan as early as possible. The minister assured the chief minister that money would be disbursed to owners whose lands were acquired for constructing roads, through the DCOs and in this regard Rs 657 million had been released to the DCOs.

The minister said as the Gwadar Port had started functioning, therefore, it was a priority of the government to complete all roads connecting to Gwadar. Arbab informed the chief minister that the contract of two contractors had been cancelled due to poor performance and two new contractors had started their work in Balochistan.

The minister informed the chief minister that Western Bypass road of Quetta and Lakpass Tunnel had been completed and their inauguration would be done soon. He also said that the construction work would be started on Kallat-Quetta-Chaman road in a fortnight, whereas the roads from Khanozai to Qilla Saifullah and Gwadar to Jewani had been completed. However, the work on the Gwadar-Gabd and Qilla Saifulah-Zhob is near completion, as the federal government has released funds with the intervention of the chief minister Balochistan.

The minister also said the road from Ratodero to Shahdadkot was also nearing completion and would be opened in a month. Dr Arbab said that the efficient road network of a country always plays an important role in its development and the government of Pakistan People’s Party was focusing to improve this network up to the international standards.

He said the Gwadar Port was the backbone of the country, therefore, the early completion of connecting roads would strengthen the trade, industrial and cultural activities in the country. The chief minister Balochistan thanked the minister for communication for taking interest in his province.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=159938

 

[Pk_Thunder]

Pakistan Navy demands Rs 7 billion for 584-acre land: MoD refuses to give land for Gwadar Free Zone​

ISMAIL DILAWAR
KARACHI (February 02 2009): Viability of the $250 million Gwadar Port project is in hot water, as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has refused to transfer 584-acre "defence land" to Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) for establishment of the long-awaited Free Zone.

Further, MoD has also turned down a request from the ministry of ports and shipping for a free-of-cost transfer of the said land to GPA, which as per Concession Agreement would hand over it to Port of Singapore Authority (PSA).

It must be recalled that under Concession Agreement the Government of Pakistan (GoP) was required to hand over 923 hectares (2281 acres) land to PSA, the concessionaire and operator of Gwadar deep sea port, by June 2008 on lease basis for developing a Free Zone at East Bay of Gwadar. According to well-placed sources, MoD commenting on a summary moved by the Ministry of Ports and Shipping to Prime Minister for allowing transfer of the said land to GPA, had cited "technical, strategic and geographical" reasons for its refusal.

They said the MoD had contended that as per Defence Land (Acquisition Custody and Relinquishment) Rules 1944 the land could not be transferred on gratis basis, as requested by the ministry of ports and shipping, to an "autonomous" body like GPA.

The defence ministry, the sources said, had also backed last year's PN's demand for the payment of Rs 7008 million (Rs 1200 million per acre) for the land in question.

In the support of its argument, the ministry said that the said land was transferred by the Government of Balochistan to PN in 1980 on ownership basis, they said.

However, showing generosity MoD had linked a free-of-cost transfer of the disputed land to Prime Minister's approval in favour of ministry of ports and shipping, said the sources.

They said recently MoD had taken a "new stance" on the lingering issue and had said that out of 584 acres land, which is at present in possession of the naval forces, only 30 acres could be made available for the development of road-rail-link leading to the Free Zone at Gwadar Port.

They said according to MoD the remaining 554 acres land was "essentially required by Pakistan Navy from technical, strategical and geographical point of view".

According to sources the ministry of ports and shipping, where change of faces was rampant and had become almost a permanent phenomenon, may be in a difficult situation, as it had to convince the Prime Minister who had okayed recommendations of MoD on the fate of Free Zone land.

It may be recalled that former President (Musharraf) and Prime Minister (Shaukat Aziz) on February 2, 2007 had also directed hand over of the 584 acres land to GPA for the said purpose as soon as possible.