Daily Times

ISLAMABAD – A meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping chaired by Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah was held in Islamabad.

The committee was informed that the first phase of Gwadar port with three multipurpose berths having a total quay length of 602 metres is fully operational. The deep-sea port is an important project for Pakistan and its timely operationalisation and completion is even more important.

Currently, it’s in second phase in process of development. The first phase includes three multipurpose berths of 602m quay length, one service berth of 100m length, 4.35 km navigable channel of 11.6/12.5m depth, roads, plinths and transit shed, operational craft and equipment, including navigational aids and shore based port buildings and allied facilities.

Sources said that the second phase is longer and mainly includes the development of port-related infrastructure projects, which cannot be carried out without the active support and participation of private sector. There is a need to mobilise the private sector by announcement of attractive incentives and improvement of security situation in Balochistan.

After completion of second phase at a cost of $840 million, Gwadar is likely to become one of the busiest ports in the region, providing warehousing, trans-shipment and industrial facilities for trade with over 20 countries, including Gulf countries, Iran, Central Asian States, India, China and East Africa.

As a future trading hub in the region, Islamabad has already extended tax exemptions and tax holidays at the industrial zones and duty-free economic zones in Gwadar.