Gwadar - A Jewel in the Crown

[Omar1984]

 

[Destructlord]

Great! Im sure Chabahar and Gwadar will have some effects on Dubai!

 

[Omar1984]

Consortium for Gwadar rail link proposed


QUETTA, Feb 13: The Balochistan government has proposed the setting up of a consortium of friendly countries for a rail project to link the port of Gwadar with countries of the region.

The proposal was made by Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani who said the consortium should consist of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Afghanistan, China and Iran.

“We are ready to host a conference on ‘Gwadar railway and logistic consortium’ in April this year, either in Islamabad or Gwadar,” Nawab Raisani said.

He said the objective of the conference would be to work out principles, modalities, cost and timeframe of the project.

He expressed the hope that the federal government would help in setting up the consortium.

He said he had written a letter to President Asif Zardari praising the federal government for making the Gwadar port functional.


Consortium for Gwadar rail link proposed -DAWN - Top Stories; February 14, 2009

 

[UnitedPak]

Gwadar port is backbone of economy: Arbab

SHR Jahfer

Islamabad—The federal minister for communication Dr. Arbab Alamgir Khan has said that Gawadar Port is the backbone of the country’s economy and its completion was a milestone in the development of the country, therefore special attention is being paid to the highways linking this strategic port. He also clarified that over-loading in containers operating along the Makran Coastal highway will not be allowed.

He expressed these views while giving instructions to high officials posted at Makran Coastal Highway near Pak-Iran Border. The federal secretary communication Sharif Ahmad Khan, Chairman National Highway Authority Chaudhry Altaf Ahmed, Chairman Gawadar port Authority Rear Admiral Saeed, GM Colonal (r) Javed Akhtar, DCO Gawadar Noorul Amin Mengal and other high officials also accompanied him. It may be noted that by Gawadar Port through Makran Coastal Highway, sometimes ago fertilizer and now a days Wheat is being imported.

The federal minister for Communications has been receiving complaints that on vehicles plying on this road, goods were being loaded above the approved quantity. The federal minister instructed the concerned officials to ensure loading of trucks and containers as per the approved quantity, otherwise strict action will be taken against those responsible for it and they will be dealt with according to the law. The federal minister also ordered that in case of any casualties to passengers traveling on these roads, trauma centre should be set up and ambulance and other facilities be provided at Puzzi Pass and Pasni. Earlier, the federal minister traveled from Jeewani to Gabad Highway and inspected it in details.

The federal minister said that Gawadar Port is of key importance to the country because it can help established trade relations with other countries of the world, and expressed his conviction that in future Pakistan will become an economic tiger of the Sub-continent and Asia.

Business New | Pakistan Observer Newspaper online edition

 

[Neo]

'Highways linking Gwadar being built on priority basis' ​

ISLAMABAD (February 15 2009): Minister for Communications Dr Alamgir Khan said on Saturday that Gwadar Port is the backbone of the country's economy and its completion was a milestone in the development of the country. Therefore, special attention is being paid to the highways linking this strategic port.

He said this while giving instructions to high officials posted on Mekran Coastal Highway near Pak-Iran border. Communications Secretary Sharif Ahmad Khan, National Highway Authority Chairman Altaf Ahmed, Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral Saeed, GM Javed Akhtar, Gwadar DCO Noorul Amin Mengal and other officials also accompanied him. It may be noted that from Gwadar port through Mekran Coastal Highway, Pakistan has transported imported fertiliser and wheat recently.

The minister said he has been receiving complaints that on the vehicles plying on this road, goods are being loaded above the approved quantity. Therefore, he had instructed the concerned officials to ensure loading of trucks and containers as per approved quantity, otherwise strict action will be taken against those responsible for it. The minister also ordered that a trauma centre should be set up and ambulance and other necessary facilities provided at Puzzi Pass and Pasni. He travelled from Jeewani to Gabd Highway and inspected it. He said that Gwadar Port is of key importance to the country as it can help establish trade relations with countries in the region. He expressed his conviction that in future Pakistan would become an economic tiger of the subcontinent and Asia.

 

[UnitedPak]

Development of Gwadar Port road linkages NHA’s top priority

Tuesday, February 17, 2009
ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) was attaching top priority to development of road linkages to the Gwadar Port which can prove backbone of the country’s economy in the near future.

A source in the NHA told APP on Monday that road connectivity with the Gwadar port was crucial for making it hub of transit trade between Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics and China.

He named the three road linkages being built for Gwadar port. These included Gawadar-Turbat-Hoshab-Panjgur-Nag-Basima-Surab (N-85) which links Gwadar to N-25 RCD Highway at Surab. The NHA has awarded contract for upgradation of this federalised road to Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

Basima-Khuzdar-Ratodero will be another road to connect Gwadar to N-85 & N-25- RCD Highway at Khuzdar and N-55 Indus Highway at Ratodero. Third link road for the Gwadar port is Basima-Surab-Kalat- Mastung-Quetta-Chaman which linked Gwadar to Quetta and Chaman through N-25 RCD Highway.

The source said construction work would be started on Kallat-Quetta-Chaman road in few days while the roads from Khanozai to Qilla Saifullah and Gwadar to Jewani have been completed. He also said work on Gwadar-Gabd and Qilla Saifulah-Zhob is near completion, as the Federal Government has released funds. The road from Ratodero to Shahdadkot is also nearing completion and would be opened within one month.

Efficient road network of a country always play an important role in its development and the government is focusing to improve this network up to international standards. The source said the democratic government wanted to bring real development in Balochistan and make the Gwadar Port second largest port of the country which could play central role in the country’s economy. He said in the present fiscal year, a huge amount has been allocated for the national highways programme with main thrust on the remaining work on Makran Coastal Road, Nutal-Sibi-Dhadar Section (N-65), Ratodero-Shahdadkot-Khuzdar Road, Qilla Saifullah- Loralai-Bewata Section of (N-70), Gwadar Ratodero Road (Khuzdar- Khori, Ratodero-Quba Saeed Khan & Gwadar- Turbat) and Hoshab- Panjgur-Nag-Baseema-Surab (450 km long section).

He said that under Phase-II, a new motorway corridor on the west of the Indus touching Balochistan would be developed as a long-term measure. It is envisaged to develop industrial clusters, oil storage facilities and oil and gas pipelines along the proposed motorway and expressway corridors.

Development of Gwadar Port road linkages NHA’s top priority

 

[Omar1984]

Great news. The government should make the road connecting to China first priority because China put the most effort and most money into Gwadar Port more than any other country in the world.

 

[Neo]

Gwadar Port: ‘Accord with Singapore firm needs revision’ ​

KARACHI: The agreement signed with Singapore firm on Gwadar Port needs to be revised.

State Minister for Ports and Shipping, Sardar Nabil Ahmed Gabol said this on Saturday.

The Minister said making Gwadar Port operational is a big success of the present democratic government and this port would soon emerge as one of the best ports in the world, says an official statement here. He said Gwadar Port would prove as an instrument for strengthening the country’s economy, promotion of regional trade and socio-economic uplift of the people.

Gabol said that more ships carrying wheat and urea are scheduled to arrive at Gwadar Port. Labourers and traders would be provided maximum facilities at the port along with creating more job opportunities for the people of Balochistan at Gwadar Port and other associated facilities.

 

[Omar1984]

Gwadar may lose business to Iranian port of Chabahar

Thursday, February 26, 2009
By By Hina Mahgul Rind

KARACHI: The Gwadar Port that was envisioned to become a trans-shipment port and shipping hub for the landlocked Central Asian States (CAS), Afghanistan and Western China may lose this opportunity to the fast developing Iranian port of Chabahar, a Gwadar Port official said.

The Gwadar Port is yet to become fully operational. The running of the port affairs was given to Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), one of the biggest port operators, so that it will fetch considerable business for making Gwadar Port a success.

The PSA has not fulfilled its business plan of making the port fully operational by 2008. The PSA says the government has failed to provide basic infrastructure including road and rail links that are the main impediments in Gwadar Port development.

To ensure that the port stays a viable destination the Gwadar Port official suggested resuming container business immediately even if in small amount through PSA or if they fail through own resources.

The government should bear the cost of road transportation to resume export activity from Gwadar Port, he said.

The official suggested restricting PSA to the present terminal and the areas adjacent to the terminal handed over to them may be retrieved and handed over to Gwadar Port Authority.

The official further said that master plan of Gwadar Port need to be approved, presently it is approved in principle but nothing so far has been done. Master Plan will protect the entire east bay and coastline east of Surbandar. By securing Master Plan, the basic theme of converting Gwadar Port into a hub port will be secured.

In order to attract sustainable business like Afghan Transit Trade or container cargo at Gwadar Port, one of the viable options is to complete road connectivity of the Port with Chaman and Afghanistan followed by shifting total or part of Afghan transit trade to Gwadar Port.

The land required for Free Zone has been dropped due to its high cost (Rs6.7 billion). It is suggested that the concerned agency at the Federal Government level may be requested to remand the case to the District Government authorities for review and submission of a workable plan, the official said.

The construction of East Bay Expressway may be undertaken on a fast track as the present arrangement for passage of the cargo truck within town has lot of repercussions. The concerned agency may be directed to execute the development work on priority.

According to government official it is justified to extend Rs.585million subsidy to the Gwadar Port to make it viable. Government supported Port Qasim for ten years to make port fully functional, he reminded. Similarly this will help the Gwadar Port to operate and serve the basic purpose of the port and generate revenues and job opportunities for the people.

He further stated that Stevedoring/Clearing/Ship Agency License to be given to locals and training should be given to the locals in cargo handling to reduce their grievances.

It is learnt that Port of Singapore Authority is trying to attract Afghan Transit Trade and get mining sector to export copper and chrome from Gwadar Port. In this regard PSA is briefing the government of Balochistan to work on connectivity.

It is also said that PSA is pursuing the government to add Gwadar Port in Afghan Trade Notification so that some trade should be started from Gwadar as well.

However ports and shipping industry shows reservation on PSA’s role and said that PSA submitted plan for 40 years specifying business in Gwadar.

According to the PSA business plan the port was to be operational by 50 percent in 2007 and 100 percent in 2008 and had indicated business comprising of coal and container cargo.

The plan also indicated approximate revenue generation for Gwadar Port Authority during the period 2007 and 2008. But PSA, so far relied totally on TCP to have business and lucrative subsidies. It has totally failed in bringing in business to Gwadar Port specially containers.

However PSA says that ports are not run in isolation, port are catalyst for trade and in the absence of basic infrastructures, free zone industrial areas and most importantly the connectivity links to the ports which are major hurdles in running the ports. PSA has fulfilled all agreed requirement but government so far has failed to fulfil the agreed requirements of the ports.


Gwadar may lose business to Iranian port of Chabahar

 

[dbc]

I think Gwadar has an edge over Chabahar when you consider the China factor. Plus the impact of US embargo on Iran and if relations with India improve then you may have have to service India..
You still have a long way to go before you compete with Jebel Ali and Singapore in terms of infrastructure, this includes hotels, airports even golf courses and medical facilities for expats.

 

[Omar1984]

I think Gwadar has an edge over Chabahar when you consider the China factor. Plus the impact of US embargo on Iran and if relations with India improve then you may have have to service India..
You still have a long way to go before you compete with Jebel Ali and Singapore in terms of infrastructure, this includes hotels, airports even golf courses and medical facilities for expats.

I agree that Pakistan still has a long way to go. Currently China is helping Pakistan build an airport in Gwadar and there are many construction going on in Gwadar.

I just wish the present Pakistani government would take Gwadar more seriously, Gwadar Port is at competition with Iran's Chabahar Port right now...

You can learn more about projects in Gwadar in the following website:
http://www.visiongwadar.com/

 

[CrazyEagle9]

Gwadar may lose business to Iranian port of Chabahar

Thursday, February 26, 2009
By By Hina Mahgul Rind

KARACHI: The Gwadar Port that was envisioned to become a trans-shipment port and shipping hub for the landlocked Central Asian States (CAS), Afghanistan and Western China may lose this opportunity to the fast developing Iranian port of Chabahar, a Gwadar Port official said.

And...India has already built road connecting Chahbahar to Kabul.

 

[Neo]

And...India has already built road connecting Chahbahar to Kabul.

And Iran is still isolated. No US or EU goods to be transported via Iran.
Good luck India!

 

[ajpirzada]

talks are already goin on with afghan businessmen on gwadar and they are looking fwd to it. however this article is rit in a sense that proper infrastructure is still to be provided on which work is already goin on

 

[Neo]

Pending housing projects in Gwadar irk investors ​

Friday, February 27, 2009

KARACHI: The future of real estate projects in Gwadar seems bleak as the government continues to pay little heed to the scams rampant in the region.

Sales Manager of Canadian City Gwadar, Azam Khilji, said most housing projects in the area are at stake since potential investors have lost all interest in the area. He said those who had invested earlier are still suffering because the projects have come to a standstill. “We now say that Gwadar has been left at the mercy of God because there is no hope for the projects there.”

Khilji also said the steadily deteriorating law and order situation in the country has put investors off, especially the increasing unrest in Quetta. He was of the view that if the government tried to finish pending projects, then more investors would be willing to come forward.

According to analyst Shahbaz Mukhtar, Gwadar was brought to the limelight by the government in 2004 with the vision of turning it into a bustling port city. Thus, a plethora of housing societies were launched and real estate prices shot up from as low as Rs500,000 to about Rs5 million.

It was then that many investments were turned into housing schemes by local investors in 2004, Mukhtar explained. After 2005, the hype died down a little but when Gwadar Port was revived in 2007, the prices shot up once again.

Mukhtar said it was because of the deteriorating economic conditions, after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, that the projects in Gwadar became a distant dream. “The prices have fallen once again,” he lamented.

An investor, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had invested in one of the housing projects in Gwadar, the Creek City, which is situated near the Governor House. The project, he said, was launched in 2004 and he was one of the first people to invest in a 1,000 square yard corner plot meant for residential purposes. As the property prices appreciated over a period of three to four months, he said, the plot allocated to him was put somewhere in the middle of the society.

When the investor protested, the management of Creek City offered to return him his initial investment which he declined at that time. However, since then the plot allocation plans have been changed four times, he added. Worst still is the fact that his initial 1,000 square yard plot has now been reduced to 400 square yards because the society requires wider roads and other amenities. Thus, this compromised the original plans.

Furthermore, the society is now quite commercialised with fewer housing plots, once again not in line with the original plans. Thus, he felt that the Gwadar Development Authority was fully aware of these facts and threatened to take the management to court for fraud.

The management then tried to bribe him with another plot of 400 square yards in Creek City Phase II near the Iran coastal highway. However, he refused pointing out that documents of the second scheme also seemed shady and consisted of clauses with loopholes.

He was asked to wait till a settlement could be reached which was almost six months ago. The investor admitted that he had never visited Gwadar personally and said when the government launched the project, he just went there with the money to invest.

Meanwhile, real estate prices in Dubai also started rising at the same time (when he made the investment in Gwadar). Still, he preferred Gwadar because he said it would be beneficial to the country.

“This is how I get rewarded for investing in the country. There are many others like me who have been left in the lurch. Who do we turn to?”