What's new

Gwader port fast becoming a bridge to the world

war&peace

ELITE MEMBER
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Messages
33,771
Reaction score
18
Country
Pakistan
Location
Sweden
Last edited:
.
Guys remember regardless of how much propaganda the anti-CPEC media does, the interests of Pakistan and China are tied together by the destiny. These will benefit both nations mutually.
@Oscar @MastanKhan @django @PakSword @Ali Tariq @Chinese-Dragon
Frankly at the moment Gwadar is a bridge to nowhere. With almost zero connectivity with the hinterland the port is almost a 'island' within a sea of desert. Gwadar will really only take off when a rail line connects it with the north which I think will take another 1-2 decades to happen.
 
. .
Frankly at the moment Gwadar is a bridge to nowhere. With almost zero connectivity with the hinterland the port is almost a 'island' within a sea of desert. Gwadar will really only take off when a rail line connects it with the north which I think will take another 1-2 decades to happen.
Hinterland is being developed and the projects are underway to develop multiple industrial cities and Oil City is just one such project. Definitely it is a long term project and will take some time to develop and become fully operational.
 
. .
Frankly at the moment Gwadar is a bridge to nowhere. With almost zero connectivity with the hinterland the port is almost a 'island' within a sea of desert. Gwadar will really only take off when a rail line connects it with the north which I think will take another 1-2 decades to happen.
Could it be developed and operated as a self contained, export oriented manufacturer city ? It means connectivity with the main economical region is not as pressing (ie it can be done in a staggered approach). Shengzhen was designed to work as an island economy in the early days and it was far away from the traditional economy zone (it is close to HK though).

Developing a city from the stretch in the frontier does have a lot risk and downside, but equally offers a lot of opportunities and have less difficulties in issues like land acquisition.
 
Last edited:
.
Could it be developed and operated as a self contained, export oriented manufacturer city ? It means connectivity with the main economical region is not as pressing. Shengzhen was designed to work as an island economy in the early days.

Developing a city from the stretch in the frontier does have a lot risk, but equally offers a lot of opportunities and have less difficulties in issues like land acquisition.
That is possible although you cannot compare Shengzhen as it is adjacent to massive population and linkages. Gwadar is a dot on the coast with a huge desert/mountains behind it and for 100s miles nothing but tiny hamlets and or nomadic tribes. The 'self contained' idea could work but it would require huge pull and that pakistan does not have. If Pakistan loaned out Gwadar to China for 30 years [think Macao or Hong Kong] then it could develop fast and the hinterland would recieve a boost. However Pakistan is a post coloinal country with extreme issues around soveriegnty and I can't see that happening.

Gwadar has to be the port to India ocean for Russia, China and more nations.
At a purely geographical level Gwadar has a huge hinterland. Covering parts of Russia, all of Central Asia, Western China. Hoewever all this is theoretical because there is zero transaport links to this huge hinterland. In addition the cultural divide reinforced by politics means even Central Asia which is closer to Islamabad then Karachi is virtually disconnected. It might well be 10,000 miles away. In fact Tashkent or Dushanbe are closer in practice to Moscow then Islamabad when the geographic distance is only 400-500 miles. Given the nature of Pakistani society it would take another generation for things to open up.


Vlyl0Gw.jpg
 
.
That is possible although you cannot compare Shengzhen as it is adjacent to massive population and linkages. Gwadar is a dot on the coast with a huge desert/mountains behind it and for 100s miles nothing but tiny hamlets and or nomadic tribes. The 'self contained' idea could work but it would require huge pull and that pakistan does not have. If Pakistan loaned out Gwadar to China for 30 years [think Macao or Hong Kong] then it could develop fast and the hinterland would recieve a boost. However Pakistan is a post coloinal country with extreme issues around soveriegnty and I can't see that happening.

At a purely geographical level Gwadar has a huge hinterland. Covering parts of Russia, all of Central Asia, Western China. Hoewever all this is theoretical because there is zero transaport links to this huge hinterland. In addition the cultural divide reinforced by politics means even Central Asia which is closer to Islamabad then Karachi is virtually disconnected. It might well be 10,000 miles away. In fact Tashkent or Dushanbe are closer in practice to Moscow then Islamabad when the geographic distance is only 400-500 miles. Given the nature of Pakistani society it would take another generation for things to open up.


Vlyl0Gw.jpg
I agree that Gwadar is a dot on the coast with a huge desert/mountains behind it and for 100s miles nothing. It doesn’t have the population that Shenzhen enjoyed. It would be developed and occupied if this is not case.

Maybe I just have a very optimistic view and the way I see it is that Gwadar does not have the same restrictions when it is expanding, which one find in a more “mature” area. It is an big adventure I admit but the starting energy of the adventure will be provided by in the forms of building necessary infrastructure, energy, schools etc. The early investors who are setuping factories will be the large ones or ones associated with the state enterprises. The private business will be attracted once the “big guys” are settled.

I think China sees Gwadar as a “must win” from a strategic standpoint (in order to make whole BRI work which ties to China’s strategic plan) and will pour whatever resource to make it a success even in the middle of a desert.
 
.
Guys remember regardless of how much propaganda the anti-CPEC media does, the interests of Pakistan and China are tied together by the destiny. These will benefit both nations mutually.
@Oscar @MastanKhan @django @PakSword @Ali Tariq @Chinese-Dragon

Still 3-4 years away to get basic rights. 300MW coal power plant, connection with national grid, water and airport.
 
.
I agree that Gwadar is a dot on the coast with a huge desert/mountains behind it and for 100s miles nothing. It doesn’t have the population that Shenzhen enjoyed. It would be developed and occupied if this is not case.

Maybe I just have a very optimistic view and the way I see it is that Gwadar does not have the same restrictions when it is expanding, which one find in a more “mature” area. It is an big adventure I admit but the starting energy of the adventure will be provided by in the forms of building necessary infrastructure, energy, schools etc. The early investors who are setuping factories will be the large ones or ones associated with the state enterprises. The private business will be attracted once the “big guys” are settled.

I think China sees Gwadar as a “must win” from a strategic standpoint (in order to make whole BRI work which ties to China’s strategic plan) and will pour whatever resource to make it a success even in the middle of a desert.

Hey do not be misguided by an old pessimist who sees the glass is half empty, being undeveloped is a potential to be developed and populated. Much like Dubai in 1970s-80s, it was desert but started to develop and now it is a hub. Gwader has a lot more potential for development than Dubai (in fact, Dubai's economy is in shambles now) because Pakistan has a population of 210 million people and now add the population of western and central China so you can imagine that's huge market and a hinterland for Gwader and empty places are going to be precious in future as it allows for much more planned development which is much easier than reforming an existing metropolis with huge population.
 
Last edited:
. .
When I hear Gwader Becoming the next Dubai I sort of cringe a bit yes it is a game changer for Pakistan,China,And Central Asia if it's done right however I would not want to see Glass buildings everywhere or copy cat s..t there here In NYC a Gwader devlopdevel company opened it's office recently targeting the Pakistani diaspora great idea but shitty PR and branding tbh and cmon building a replica Eiffel Tower is stupid idea add some unique style to the city so it could pull people in not become another Central Chinese ghost city

Pakistan is a post coloinal country with extreme issues around soveriegnty and I can't see that happening.

At a purely geographical level Gwadar has a huge hinterland. Covering parts of Russia, all of Central Asia, Western China. Hoewever all this is theoretical because there is zero transaport links to this huge hinterland. In addition the cultural divide reinforced by politics means even Central Asia which is closer to Islamabad then Karachi is virtually disconnected. It might well be 10,000 miles away. In fact Tashkent or Dushanbe are closer in practice to Moscow then Islamabad when the geographic distance is only 400-500 miles. Given the nature of Pakistani society it would take another generation for things to open up.


Vlyl0Gw.jpg
[/QUOTE]

South Asians in particular still got have the soap of British colonial ideas still tho it's somewhat has changed in recent decades compared to the Aids infested Africans much better

Yeah another stumbling block we got with China and Central Asia is culture and how we view religious ideals having deal with both kinds of people in the US they are much more liberal than us we often get poked fun of being the "Mullah Pakistani" or something like that and you are right it will take some time for the false piety stuff to go away then Pakistan can improve it's image and go forward
 
.
So, instead of countering the points I raised all you could do was bring my age into the discussion and use that as basis of your argumant, Grand !
No sir, that's not the basis but to provide the right context to the other guy since he is new and did not know about the person who he talking to otherwise no offence for intended.
 
.
No sir, that's not the basis but to provide the right context to the other guy since he is new and did not know about the person who he talking to otherwise no offence for intended.
I have been here for some time and have the pleasure to see Indus Pakistan’s view in many different discussions. He just knows a lot more about the ground reality in Pakistan and the difficulty than I do. While I view the future of Gwadar, CPEC and Pakistan over a long term very optimistically, I equally acknowledge and value the discussion on the various issues and difficulties. There is a not so old saying in China (I tweaked it a bit): Strategically always understate it, tactically always overstate it.
 
. .
Back
Top Bottom