First of all the report is only on Gwadar as a port without considering the other investments in the form of CPEC.
The report has stated that there is potential but does not take into account the other investments and how they will change the dynamics of the economy. That report is thus redundant in itself.
The first issue is China and what it will bring into Pakistan in 2017. The first thing that will be bought to Gwadar port is material to develop Gwadar, the city. This itself will provide jobs to the locals as well as alleviate the stress on the other port city, Karachi as the jobs created will attract other workers. Development of a city is part of the CPEC program and feasibility studies are being funded in the form of a grant from the Chinese side which shows they are serious.
So the first thing that will be happen will be that jobs will be created.
There are currently projects around 10000MW plus which are waiting for vital machinery and material which is where the port of Gwadar will be used also. This will create jobs and also helps shore up the economy, reduce cost of production and stop the electricity crisis which is bleeding the country dry. Which is when Gwadar will be used to actually import things that Pakistan and its citizens need. The local industries will take advantage of the port with the local fishing industry and gem industry at the forefront of beneficiaries from this project.
The other part of CPEC envisions movement of fuel from Pakistan to China. The report in 2008 had no inkling about the CPEC or the level of infrastructure that is developing in this project or the rapid improvement of the security situation. The level of importance given by the army to clean up the area of any trouble makers and raise a force dedicated to protect the route speaks volumes.This movement of goods will create jobs also as well as create quite a lot of money for repair of roads and repayment of loans. As for security, we manage to do well with our Sui gas supply line, we shall manage other pipelines also in the same way.
As for what China will move or export, the port is no longer under the Singapore port authority but under Chinese now. This shows that there is a genuine need for the port from their side. The issue at hand is understanding that the majority of movement occurs from two cities in China, and they are both not as feasible for China as Gwadar is. Also China has been working on Industrial zones in Xinjiang province and other areas which would boost domestic industry in those areas and help keep the economy growing. Chinese analysts have been very optimistic that the development of Gwadar will bring stability and growth to the Xinjiang province and beyond. This is because the labour costs and special privileges given to businesses in this province will make a lot of labour extensive businesses or energy extensive companies move to this region. Also petrochemicals will be on the list of items which will come through this port.
Also there are the land locked countries and the security implications. The issue at hand is whether other countries will use Pakistan instead of other ports, and this is a valid question. But as China is running the port it will want it to be a success and will help us convince other nations to use this route. Also the route through Iran runs through Afghanistan while our route will run through China. I think you have an idea which one would be safer.
@Armstrong read and do your smart economic mumbo jumbo on this and make it sound technical
@Oscar I thought you would be interested
Also editted to include the Saudi interest in CPEC
https://defence.pk/threads/saudi-arabia-wants-cpec’s-extension-to-red-sea-africa.428411/