A deep seaport at Gwadar, along with a coastal highway along the belt of Markan, will be constructed with the aid of funding and expertise volunteered by China, Iran and Oman, reported the Pakistani Business Recorder daily. This project is geared toward the establishment of towns along this road and their connection with the inner country, funded in part by foreign investments and based on foreign expertise.
The seaport at Gwadar has been planned by the local government to provide warehousing, shipment and industrial amenities to facilitate international import-export trade with Central Asian states, Afghanistan, Gulf states, East Africa, Red Sea countries and North West India. The total costs of Gwadar seaport project are estimated at RS 30 billion.
The local government has defined the terms for this plan, stating that both public as well as private investments will be accepted, following the defining of these conditions.
The three contributing countries each received six-point blueprints for the Makran development plan, which deals with a wide range of projects. Furthermore, these three have already been supplied the blueprints pertaining to the southern Balochistan development plan prepared by the Pakistani government for foreign investors.
Additional schemes similarly planned include the providing of power for industrial and commercial development, water resources and their utilization in power generating, agriculture and drinking water, sufficient fish landing, handling, storage and marketing facilities for fishermen. Moreover, there are plans for the initiation of industrial activity, by identifying relevant fish-related export-oriented industries, as well as the improving of social action programs and the development of a substantial tourism base along the Balochistan coast.
Pakistan has provided the three countries with an additional portfolio, geared toward the construction of the 653 km long highway, stretching along the coast between Karachi and Jiwani, near Iran. This coastal way is planned to pass through Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar and Jiwani, with junction roads linking key towns with this highway. Construction of the section connecting Lyari with Ormara is already underway, executed by the Pakistani government. The two additional crucial sections of this project are Ormara-Pasni and Pasni-Gwadar-Jiwani, close to the Pakistani-Iranian border. The total value of investments needed to complete the construction of all three has been assessed at RS 11 billion. –(Albawaba-MEBG)
