‘Gwadar Port will play pivotal role in development of region’
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Gwadar will be an economic hub and trade centre in the region in the days ahead.
Additional Chief Secretary Balochistan Qayyum Nazir Changezi said Gwadar would be a centre not only for Gwadar itself, but also for the province and the country. It would also be a centre for Afghanistan and the Central Asian States as well. He pointed out that Gwadar is naturally located at a site that suits to all of these areas.
He said the first phase of the Gwadar project, comprising three berths, had been completed with a cost of Rs 16 billion. Further digging is going on to deepen these berths further for the anchoring of big ships. Replying to a question, he said more berths would be constructed in the second phase and Gwadar would become a very big port of this area after they are completed, as they were being prepared in accordance with the international standards and with the latest facilities. He said five big ships would anchor in the port at a time after the completion of the second phase.
“Gwadar port will prove to be a multi-dimensional centre and will play a pivotal role in the development of the region,” he said replying to a query. He told the interviewer that communication network to link Gwadar with other provinces of the country, Afghanistan, Iran and other Central Asian states was being improved and strengthened.
Special attention was also being given for providing railway link to Gwadar, he said adding that new roads were being constructed with the expansion of the existing road network for the area.