I guess Gwadar port can prove to be the hen that lays golden eggs.
With Gwadar, Pakistan has both the sides of the coin in its favor. How..?
Option-A] If it gives Gwadar port to China -
- It already enjoys strong relations with china, this option will bring them more close in more spheres than just defence & economy.
- I believe, that the basic point of developing gwadar was to enable china to use a network of land transport of pakistan for the transit of its goods from the gulf. China would save a lot of cost that it has to incur now because of the lengthy sea route of Indian Ocean, which they may re-invest in developing infrastucture in pak.
- One of the biggest advantage of this move could be that it will bring a part of pakistan under china's defence cover. Its a fact that ports are guarded heavily and when it is given to china, it would be china who has to ensure the safety of the port. In any future conflicts of pakistan (God forbids) with any adversary, the enemy might take a chance to strike Karachi, but would hardly make Gwadar the target because that would mean dragging china into conflict.
- The infrastucture would be world class & that too in a shorter span of time & less expenditure because we know chinese are best in that at this point of time, ultimately, pakistan benefits.
Option-B] If it keeps Gwadar with itself -
- The region of Baluchistan will recieve most benefits in terms of infrastucture, industrialisation, employment generation,etc. which is very much necessary for that state/province.
- Pakistan has a second port after Karachi with great facilities and can divert some of the sea traffic from karachi to gwadar. With this port, pakistan can increase its sea transport potential twofolds.
- Its location in the persian gulf, a great strategic advantage.
So a win-win for pak, in my opinion.