Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday reiterated the government’s commitment to making Gwadar a regional trade hub, adding this will yield job opportunities for the area’s local residents.
Chairing a meeting aimed at finalizing the Gwadar Port Operationalization Plan and addressing key challenges hindering its full functionality, he said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the immediate operationalization of Gwadar Port. All stakeholders, he stressed, must adopt a proactive approach to accelerate progress.
The high-level meeting in Islamabad primarily aimed to review critical issues impeding the operationalization of Gwadar Port, finalize an actionable strategy for its activation, and ensure effective implementation of the plan once approved by the federal cabinet.
“The success of Gwadar is tied to creating employment opportunities for its people. Rapid urbanization, development of I.T. parks, free zones, and high-rise buildings, and improved infrastructure are essential for Gwadar’s transformation into a modern port city,” said Iqbal.
Highlighting the strategic importance of Central Asian Republics in Gwadar’s operationalization, he directed all relevant ministries to position the port as a competitive trade and transshipment hub. “We need to actively engage with [Central Asian Republics] and offer them a compelling value proposition for using Gwadar as their preferred trade route,” he said. To facilitate this aim, the meeting tasked National Logistics Corporation director-general with devising viable options to link Central Asian trade with Gwadar.
The minister also underscored the importance of robust security arrangements to ensure seamless port operations. He directed the relevant departments to identify locations for rest areas along the Karachi-Gwadar route and ensure mobile network coverage for improved connectivity.
The meeting also assigned Planning Commission Member Infrastructure Waqas Anwer the task of identifying short-term and long-term measures and formulating an action plan for immediate interventions. The participants also proposed forming a dedicated working group on transshipment to fast-track initiatives linking Central Asian Republic trade with Gwadar Port.