NA body proposes cancellation of PSA agreement with ministry concerned 

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping here on Tuesday proposed unanimously to cancel the agreement of the Ports and Shipping Authority (PSA) with the Ministry of Ports and Shipping.

This was decided in a meeting with the National Assembly Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping Chairman Rana Mehmoodul Hassan, a press release said.

The NA body also expressed dissatisfaction over the briefing of the ministry that it has not fulfilled its requirements in accordance with the agreement it inked with the PSA. It has also allegedly not done that work according to their commitment and requirements of the agreement.

The PSA also allegedly failed to complete the Phase-II Project and it was also unable to satisfy the committee over the briefing and work of National Highway Authority (NHA). The briefing did not prioritise road projects, particularly the Ratodero-Khuzdar road project and did not aim to connect Gwadar Port with reference to transshipping trade with Middle East and other European countries.

The committee expressed concern over its method of releasing funds by the Ministry of Finance to NHA for Balochistan as well. The committee further suggested that the Ratodero project should be prepared on priority by releasing funds by the Ministry of Finance.

The committee requested the prime minister and the president to ensure law and order in Balochistan and help urgently release funds to NHA in order to expedite completion of the Ratodero-Khuzdar road project connecting it to the Gwadar port.

Maulvi Agha Muhammad, Haji Rozuddin, Sardar Muhammad Israr Tareen, Moulvi Asmatullah, Mir Changez Khan Jamali, Mohammad Usman Advocate, Lieutenant General Abdul Qadir Baloch (Retd), MNAs Dr Zil-e-Huma and Asiya Nasir were invited on special invitation by the committee to give them a briefing on the status of the Gwadar Port and progress made by the NHA with regard to the construction of roads to connect the Gwadar Port with major cities of the country.

The meeting was attended by Syed Nasir Ali Shah, Sher Mohammad Baloch, Nazir Ahmed Bughio, Sardar Mohammad Saif-ud-Din Khosa, Sardar Mansab Ali Dogar, Nosheen Saeed, Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, Shaukatullah, MNAs and senior officers of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, Ministry of Finance and the National Highway Authority.

thenews.com.pk

Rs 9 billion being spent on road projects linking Gwadar: NHA Chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of the National Highway Authority (NHA) Altaf Chaudhry told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping that Rs 9 billion have been allocated for 18 road building projects.
The committee meeting held under the chairmanship of MNA Rana Mehmoodul Hassan at the NHA Headquarters. He told the meeting that Rs 3 billion would be spent on construction of Gwadar-Rattodero road alone. Some members of the committee belonging to Balochistan expressed their concerns over delay in operationalization of the port. They said that this port can become a source of economic progress of the country, if we can prove required road links.
Members of the committee in their recommendations said that the Gwadar port can prove a backbone in development of the Balochistan. They demanded that immediate steps should be taken early start of infrastructure projects. The meeting was attended by Syed Nasir Ali,Sher Muhammad Baloch,Nazir Boghio,Sardar Yusuf Khosa,Sardar Mansab Ali Dogar,Nausheen Saeed,Khawaja Sohail Mansoor,Shaukatullah Khan,Maulvi Agha Muhammad,Haji Roz Din,Sardar Israr Tarin,Maulvi Asmatullah,Mir Changaiz Jamali,Usman Advocate,Abdul Qadir Baloch,Dr Zil-e-Huma and Asia Nasir.

daily regional times

This refers to Dawn’s news item, ‘Pakistan-Afghan accord on transit trade’ (July 19).

According to the Afghan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), Afghan trucks will be carrying export goods to the Wagah border for destinations in India.

The agreement was signed between Pakistan and Afghanistan under the watchful eyes of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the US Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke.

When the Pak-Afghan pact was being signed, somehow no Indian representative was present at the occasion, neither was it asked by the US to send one to develop a better understanding between Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.

The issue of giving transit trade rights to India is more of a bilateral matter between Islamabad and New Delhi than signing the APTTA.

According to APTTA, the Afghan trucks will be using the prescribed land routes while carrying sealed containers to Wagah and Karachi and back. But who will guarantee what types of goods are loaded in the containers.

The moving of the Afghan trucks within the Pakistani territory is dangerous for the security of Pakistan. This will definitely pave the way for Indian and Afghan intelligence to move freely, survey and plan anything they like.

During the course of their movement on such long routes, the drivers will be staying in hotels, visiting hospitals, and purchasing edibles from local markets. Besides, the convoy can also halt at a place of their interest on the pretext of getting their trucks repaired at a workshop for a few days.

It is pertinent to note that India for security reasons has not allowed transit facilities to Pakistan’s exports to Nepal and Bhutan through its land routes.

Currently, the USA’s most immediate challenges are Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the power corridors of Washington, it is oil and not Al Qaeda or the Taliban.

The USA’s oil is depleting fast. This is likely to knock it off as a global leader. The remaining oil, including the new reserves, lie in lands close to China, Russia, Europe and other powers.

The USA’s global supremacy rests on easy access to oil. If someone else gets it, the sole superpower loses in a big way.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan was not an enemy of the USA. Its removal from Afghanistan was decided much before 9/11. It fell out of favour because it put terms and conditions on the pipelines that the USA’s oil giants planned to construct on the Afghan territory.

Pakistan was and continues to be the next target. It has to be subdued in order for the USA to secure Pakistani land route from the sea to the Afghan border. US military intervention in the so-called war on terror inside Pakistan is changing public opinion in the country due to regular drone attacks.

Similarly, destabilising Balochistan also disturbs Iran’s plan to build pipelines to Pakistan and beyond.

Instability in Balochistan also leads to a distortion of China’s interests in using the Gwadar port, overlooking the oil-rich Gulf, to dock its merchant and naval ships.

It is also a fact that Afghanistan — which is not part of South Asia — has been included in the SAARC to justify India’s designs to extend its domain beyond Afghanistan.

SQN LDR (R) S.AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi

Gwadar port will play a major role Inshallah ,read article

Turkey and Pakistan: Two countries, one nation

Having withstood the tests of time, wars and natural disasters, Islamabad and Ankara remain the closest of allies and the best of friends. Any debate remains incomplete without reference to the thoughts of Amir Khusrow and Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi.

At a time when Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar and Muhammad Ali Jinnah were struggling for Pakistan, many Muslims in the British army absconded and fought alongside the Turkish troops and even risked their lives. Those who survived chose to stay in Turkey.

While some refer to Turkey as Pakistan with a red flag, others find similar nostalgia reflected in the logo of the PakTurk International Schools & Colleges that reads: Two Countries, One Nation! Turkey unequivocally backed Pakistan over the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, and Islamabad has always stood by Ankara on the Cyprus issue. Both nations secretly but courageously extended vital military support in testing times of war amid US arms embargoes.

Undoubtedly, the relationship seems too good to be true on the political and diplomatic fronts. Believe it or not, the situation is quite the contrary on the people-to-people level, while trade between two inseparable nations remains at a meager $782 million. The İstanbul-Islamabad train line, to resume service on Aug. 2, offers a pragmatic promise for the future.

Now that Turkey is pursuing a trade goal of $1 trillion with its sizzling growth rate and expanding diplomatic outreach, Pakistan can be a catalyst in realizing the Turkish dream.

The non-Arab Muslim countries of Iran, Pakistan and Turkey had established the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) between 1964 and 1979. Revival of the RCD-era land link via the 6,500-kilometer-long rail line passing through Iran can be vital to Turkey’s trade with China, Afghanistan and the rather distant nations of Central Asia. The ambitious, yet doable, $1 trillion trade goal surely needs a sizeable increase in trade with China. Trade with this country approaches only $2.5 billion today. With the land route offering a safe, cheaper and faster channel for exports from China to Turkey and even to Europe, both of these major players and close allies of Pakistan will benefit from this win-win scenario. For China, trade with Turkey via rail offers increased access to the Iranian market, not to mention the strategic advantage and bargaining power over the United States.

For a successful land link between Turkey and China, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) would play a pivotal role. Islamabad and Beijing are already working to widen the road in addition to upgrading facilities for freight trucks and passenger comfort. The more ambitious project of an Islamabad-Urumqi train line can even promote Turkish interest in the technological and investment sectors.

Moreover, the revived rail link can also ease costs and the time span for Turkish goods to enter Afghanistan and Tajikistan, if not other nations.

On the more crucial and delicate subject of Pakistan-Turkey trade, traders and investors from both sides are stuck with stereotypes. The Pakistanis generally believe that the two nations have parallel economies and that enhanced trade is too idealistic. Until recently, the ill-intentioned American phrase “AfPak” has created a misperception about the lifestyle and security situation in Pakistan.

If history is any guide, the two sides’ businessmen have failed to take part in many feasible ventures due to the language barrier. The Turks don’t understand any language but Turkish, which a rare number of Pakistanis can speak. There is no way of finding even one legal expert who knows Urdu and Turkish in both nations. Many trade deals signed with good intentions have fallen prey to differing interpretation of the agreements.

For that matter, the respective boards of investment and chambers of commerce need to hire experts who not only excel in agreement drafting but who have also mastered the Turkish and Urdu languages. Such a timely measure can translate emotional and political bonds into a functional one.

For Turkish investors, there is a lot to learn from the Chinese success story in Pakistan. For a nation with great taste buds, the Chinese brought their food before their products invaded Pakistan’s streets and villages. I have yet to savor a cuisine more suited to the Pakistani culinary taste than the Turkish one. Despite American security warnings and soaring anti-US sentiment here, fast food outlets such as Subway, Nandos, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s and KFC continue to post high profits. For those who have tasted Turkish pizza (lahmacun), İskender or döner kebab, American-style fast food would soon become a thing of the past. Ironically, Turkish food chains are oblivious to this reality. Hardly any Turk can ignore the enticing smell of Pakistani-style biryani rice or chicken pulao (“pilav” in Turkish) if sold in a narrow street near Taksim Square. Two people with a sweet tooth can mutually swap Pakistani sohan halwa with Turkish delight and their blends of tea. To cut a long story short, the route to the Pakistanis’ pockets goes through their stomach.

While Chinese products bring many levels of quality and cost, the Pakistanis love to live beyond their means and prefer buying expensive items of European brands. Turkish brands such as Beko can easily compete with their Chinese counterpart Hiar or Korean Samsung.

Turkey, with a proven record of excellence in construction projects, is exactly what Pakistan needs to replace its worn-out structures. Except for the Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore, all of Pakistan’s main cities need bigger, futuristic and spacious airport terminals and runways.

Turkey sees its future as a keen investor in energy products, and Pakistan has untapped potential for run-of-the-river and wind energy projects. Presently, a Turkish company has installed windmills in Jhimpir, Thatta district, in the south of Pakistan.

Decades of negligence have finally worn out most of Pakistan Railways’ 7,791 kilometers of track, while 559 stations need modernizing. One wonders as to how wise it would be for Turkey to leave it to the aggressive Chinese investors. Such investments can bring hope and jobs, thus helping reduce the flow of illegal immigrants to Europe via Turkey.

For an innovative approach to mutually beneficial business, the Pakistanis and the Turks need to travel beyond İstanbul and Ankara, and Karachi and Islamabad, respectively. The two economies are not parallel at all -- and even if there are commonalities, the two can greatly complement each other.

Thankfully, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) is nearing completion of its travel documentary across Pakistan to introduce this 180-million-strong nation to its viewers, while the producers of a popular drama series, “Khuda Zameen se Gaya Nahin” (God Has Not Dumped Us), are keen to share it with a private Turkish entertainment channel.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Davos walkout and the Humanitarian Aid Foundation’s (İHH) flotilla initiative bring renewed warmth for the Turkish nation. Pakistani media channels are already contemplating opening bureaus in İstanbul and Ankara.

In the absence of Turkish satellite channels and music in Pakistan, cultural programs at the PakTurk educational institute offer a mild but pleasant reference to a similar and yet unknown culture. More is eagerly awaited.

Turkish higher education hardly acknowledges the degrees of many leading Pakistani universities, thus reducing the level of educational exchange compared to the ‘80s and ‘90s. Not only does greater interaction for youth and media have to increase manifold, Turkey can help Pakistan in the realm of sports. For example, offering coaching to football clubs here or holding a non-European football event for teams from Central Asia, Pakistan, Iran and maybe Afghanistan could offer multiple business and cultural dividends.

While the Turkish focus has expanded beyond the European Union, it surely needs to give special attention to the 180 million people in Pakistan, which is more a part of the Middle East and Central Asia than culturally distant and religiously remote South Asia.

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-217094-100-turkey-and-pakistan-two-countries-one-nation.html

Iranian FM to Visit Pakistan Next Month

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is scheduled to visit Pakistan early in July to explore fresh avenues of mutual cooperation in meetings with senior Islamabad officialse Iranian Foreign Minister will be in Islamabad in the first week of the next month to attend the next session of the two countries' Joint Ministerial Commission.

A statement released by the Pakistani Prime Minister's office announced that the two sides plan to review Iran-Pakistan relations and cooperation in all the different areas and explore further avenues for expanding their cooperation.

According to the statement, Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, who was speaking in a meeting with Islamabad's Ambassador to Tehran M.B. Abbasi, has expressed the hope that Iran and Pakistan would find new avenues of cooperation in their multi-dimensional relationship during Mottaki's upcoming visit to Islamabad.

The Pakistani premier further urged the envoy to redouble his efforts to create a better understanding between the two countries on issues of mutual concern.

Gilani said his government would positively pursue early finalization of feasibility study for the import of 1000 MW electricity from Iran to undertake this project as soon as possible.

He vowed to also personally supervise expeditious implementation of projects like refurbishment of the rail line from Quetta to Taftan and Dalbandin-Noshki road construction with the assistance of the Iranian government.

english.farsnews.com

Pakistan and China’s economic cooperation

By Ismat Sabir

China is a friend and a strategic partner promoting stability and economic progress in Pakistan, said Chinese President Hu Jintao. While responding to this statement, President Asif Ali Zardari said, “It is our belief that Pakistan can act as a force multiplier for China and we will continue to work towards this end.”

These views were expressed at the time of the president’s fifth five-day visit to China, since assuming presidential office in 2008. He said Pakistan is determined to strengthen relations with its neighbouring country through people-to-people contacts. This visit would enhance bilateral trade and commercial ties between the two countries and reach new heights, as both the countries are partners in the economic growth of the region.

Chinese interest in Pakistan’s economic growth is growing day by day. For instance, in Pakistan there are more than 120 companies and about 10,000 Chinese working in different sectors like mining, energy exploration and infrastructure building.

Energy: The Chinese government reconfirmed to carry out its project of installing two nuclear reactors in Pakistan. China said these projects are in total compliance with all international obligations.

Presently, China and Pakistan are cooperating in civilian nuclear energy. The cooperation is exclusively for peaceful purposes and to accept International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. The agreement was signed during the president’s visit last year. The Chinese president and president of Pakistan were present at the signing ceremony of the Sino-Pakistani economic and technological cooperation agreement. The other agreements were in the field of agriculture, health, justice and information.

Zardari met representatives of different sectors, in particular, wind, solar, and renewable energies to seek solutions to overcome energy crisis in Pakistan.

A Chinese firm would invest $10 billion in hydro power projects in Pakistan. The company would build dams in Bunji and Kohala areas. The dams would generate 7,000 megawatts (MW) and 12,000MW, respectively.

In his last visit to China, Zardari emphasised on implementation of all agreements signed between the two countries. It is pertinent to mention that during the last two years of the Pakistan People’s Party government, more than five-dozen new projects have been undertaken and nearly 40 MoUs signed.

Under the Five-Year Programme for trade and economic cooperation 62 projects have been identified, out of which 27 have been launched, 26 are being examined and 12 are being reviewed. Pakistan also offered China access to emirates through Pakistani ports. Pakistan always encourages China to reap maximum benefits from Gwadar Port.

A Chinese firm has finalised a deal with the Pakistan Stone Development Company. China is the largest importer of chromites. The black coloured stone contains around 55 percent steel properties and is used in steel making and steel material for tank making. Chinese investors are showing great interest in Pakistani marble due to its quality and demand in the international market.

Chinese firms have signed agreements to buy 2,000 tonnes of Cotan beige and two grades of Mastung beige quality marble, found in Balochsitan. It is expected that China will become the largest buyer of stone in the coming years.

Another Chinese firm will invest $50 billion in Punjab during the next 10 years. The investment will be done to build a state-of-art industrial city, along with an industrial estate on 100,000 acres.

Trade: In 2009 the total foreign trade of China declined by 13.9 percent but trade value between Pakistan and China declined only 2.9 percent, reaching $6.8 billion. The total export of China declined by 16 percent but reduced by 7.7 percent only with Pakistan, at $5.5 billion. China imported $1.3 billion from Pakistan, showing an increase of 25.3 percent, which was the result of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

China-Pakistan trade in the first five months of this year reached $3.3 billion, up 31 percent. Chinese commerce minister said that bilateral trade could hit $15 billion in 2015.

Hu Jintao said that China had become Pakistan’s second largest trading partner and gave assurance to make steady progress in cooperation with Pakistan in energy, telecom sectors, Neelum-Jhelum project and Pakistan’s telecommunication satellite project.

Pak-China bilateral trade touched $7 billion from $2 billion in 2002. China has granted four types of trade concessions to Pakistan, one-sided, which would help increase Pakistan’s exports to China by $1 to $1.5 billion annually. China would provide duty concessions on tariff lines not covered under Pakistan-China FTA.

The two states signed an agreement to establish a joint venture company in the private sector to promote sale of certified hybrid seeds and other varieties of seeds, which are to be developed according to the soil conditions and environment of Pakistan.

Pakistan and China would cooperate in the fields of water conservation, water resource management, hybrid seed technologies, drip and sprinkling irrigation systems.

During the visit, Zardari also stressed the need to set up railway line and a pipeline from Gwadar to China to connect the two countries. Importance of connectivity through railway link was felt in the recent disruption in the Karakoram Highway due to a landslide that blocked the road transportation.

China said that cooperation for the construction of railway link between the two countries is because China and Pakistan are strategic partners; have a deep traditional friendship cooperating in various fields. The cooperation would not only benefit the two countries but also help regional stability, common development and prosperity and not against any third country.

Zardari said that a road connection with China is one of his ideas to be realised. The travelling time, by sea, from China to Pakistan or Southeast Asia takes months, but by road transportation to Pakistani port, is only 1,100 miles from the Chinese border. The construction of road link with China would surely boost bilateral trade.

Zardari met executives of NORINCO, China’s top arms manufacturer and leaders of Sino Hydro Corporation, the China’s main dam builder and China Petrochemical Corporation, SINOPEC. The president also told Chinese business tycoons that authorities had planned to feed Pakistani grid through hydro, coal, gas, nuclear and renewable energy sources.

MoUs were also signed in the fields of health and Geological Survey of Pakistan and China. An MoU was also signed for cooperation between Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and China Radio International for Urdu service broadcasts in selected Pakistani cities on FM channel with the China Radio International (CRI). China has promised a 50 million yuan grant for new projects to be set up in Pakistan.

Zardari termed Pakistan and China as the joint cornerstone of stability in South Asia. The Chinese prime minister said Pakistan is an important country of the region and fighting war against terrorism made it even more important. The international community should come forward to help Pakistan and make the war on terror a success. He further said we can jointly think about going upward in Asia exploring new markets through Pakistan.

In the next meeting issues will be taken up including currency swap, opening of branches of Chinese banks in Pakistan and relocating industries in the special proposed industrial zones in Pakistan. It was also agreed that the China National Energy Administration would hold discussions with Pakistani authorities to solve Pakistan’s energy problem.
The Chinese PM said his country appreciated Pakistan’s policy of “One China” and assured Zardari that China would continue supporting Pakistan at the UN and multilateral forums, including SAARC and ECO.

Chinese president said that he had instructed his foreign minister to make arrangements for the exchange of youth delegations, cultural and writers’ delegations between the two countries and also increase scholarships for young Pakistanis for studies in China.

China had also offered training programmes in various industrial categories in Pakistan so that the existing gap in skilled labour could be bridged. The concessions were granted after the visit of Chinese vice premier to Pakistan.

President Jintao reiterated commitment of strengthening ties in energy, communications and infrastructure construction. However, he urged Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals and companies in Pakistan following a spate of kidnappings in recent years.

Daily times.com

Karakoram to Gwadar via Chashma!

ACROSS THE LINES

DR.JAVID IQBAL COMMENTS ON SECURITY RELATED EXERCISE FROM HIGH MOUNTAINS TO SEACOAST

daily express

Ship carrying 43,400 MT Urea arrives

Staff Reporter

Karachi -”Ship MV "NIRMAL GAUTAM" carrying 43,400 MT Urea has arrived at Gwadar Port and discharging has started immediately.

The above shipment has arrived in response to tender awarded to M/s. Gavilon Fertilizer, LLC on 07-06-2010 for import of 200,000 MT. TCP has already delivered 400,000 MT Urea to NFML for Kharif Crop.

‘Exploration at Reko Diq to start by 2014’

By Amar Guriro

KARACHI: The exploration at Reko Diq in Balochistan is expected to start by the year 2014.

Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) Public Relations Manager Samia Ali Shah said this in a detailed presentation on Reko Diq, at the one-day workshop, “Journalism for sustainable development: Tools and techniques for effective environment reporting” arranged by the Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan.

Shah said her company has completed all the basic requirements for exploration including the feasibility of the project.

The Australian copper exploration firm TCC has recently taken over the control of copper exploration site of Balochistan’s Reko Diq area located in the southwestern district of Chaghi, in collaboration with gold exploration company, Barrick Gold Corporation.

Shah disclosed that her company has so far spent $200 million on the project; however, the most important study for such mega projects, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) is yet to be completed. She added that Hagler Bailly Pakistan was carrying out the social and environmental impact assessment, while the public hearing would be held soon.

Talking about the details of the project, she said the Reko Diq field, according to an estimate, has total reserves of 5.9 billion tonnes, out of which 2.2 billion tonnes were of copper and 13 million ounces of gold.

On a question, she replied there were no hints for the presence of uranium in the area or near the site. She informed the company would establish a 700-kilometre long underground pipeline to pump powdered copper from the site to Gwadar port, from where the raw copper would be exported.

She said the company would prefer to provide employment to the locals, whereas after the start of exploration, the company would annually spend $10 million in the area for social uplift and development of community.

TCC EIA Manager Lucas Hekma said the project’s EIA would be completed very soon.

He said a road along the underground pipeline from the copper site to Gwadar would be constructed and it would be ensured that no any archaeological site, farmland or human settlements were affected.
LEAD-Pakistan Programme Development Department Manager Afia Salam and others also spoke on the occasion.

dailytimes.com.

daily express

Trade with outside world mainly dependent on sea: Prime Minister attends "Shamsheer-e-Behr IV"

Afghans must open Wakhan corridor passes (Broghol, Irshad, Dilisang) to get trade deal

While Kabul is very optimistic about a Trade deal with Pakistan, Islamabad is a bit more cautious. There are several points of contention. Afghanistan should not be allowed any access to the sea unless and until it promoses to open the border passes in the Wakhan corridor which have been lying dormant for decades. The road links between Bharat (aka India) and Afghanistan have been buried, to be resurrected after a comprehensive peace deal has been signed between Bharat and Pakistan and Kashmir resolved. Afghanistan has come to grips that Pakistan will not allow Tata trucks laden with arms rumbling to Afghanistan so that the Bharati agencies in Afghanistan can arm the mercenaries and send them down to Pakistan from the Western borders.

'Pakistan, China cornerstone of stability in South Asia'

China Paksitan rail link to change geography

Putting the Silk road on rails will be seminal event and transformative event which will fundamentally change the geography of the border between Pakistan and China. The Trans-Karakoram Rail line has moved beyond the feasibility stage and has now moved to the phase of “rubber meets the road”. The last time the Pakistani Rail officials visited China they were astounded by the amount of research the Chinese side had done on the project. The plan was originally proposed in 2004 and there has been tremendous progress on this line.

Not only will the rail line link Pakistan and China, it will also be expanded and will ink up Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and the other Central Asia Republics, hooking up the Asia Rialway which reaches Europe.

• The 700 km rail link has been planned between Kashgar in China and Havelian in Pakistan across the Karakoram mountain ranges and the 4000 metre high Khunjareb pass in Pakistan.
• During the 1970s, it built the Karakoram highway between Xinjiang and northern Pakistan.

• Then, the railroad that connected the rest of China to TIbet’s capital city Lhasa. China now wants to extend this railroad right up to Nepal.
• And now, the 700 km rail link from Kashgar in Xinjiang province to Havelian near Rawalpindi in northern Pakistan through Karakoram in Pakistan
• After completing Havelian-Khunjerab track, China would link with Pakistan’s Gawadar Port.

This rail line is not the only one being planned. Rail lines are also being built to Dushambe and to Ferghana. The Turks, Iranians and the Pakistanis are also linking up Islamabad to Ankara via Tehran. Pakistani goods can thus travel to Europe without any hindrance, and Chinese and Central Asian goods can travel down to the warm waters of the Arabian sea.

The Chinese plans, according to reports, is to build the rail link to Pakistan and reach the Arabian sea through the Gilgit-Baltistan region in. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a feasibility study on building the Karakoram railway line is expected to be signed between Beijing and Islamabad during President Asif Ali Zardari’s current, ongoing visit to China. Pakistan’s General Manager Railways (operation) Ishfaq Khattak has joined Mr Zardari’s delegation and is expected to be a key player in this fantastic venture.

The pre-feasibility study has already been completed by two international consulting companies. The 628 km railway track is would connect all major cities on the Pakistani side, thus the rail line would hook up Kashgar to Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Sarghoda, Faisalabad, Karachi and of course Gwader. An international consortium would be working on the line.

Bharat is of course chagrined. Delhi’s concerns have all been ignored by the two countries.

The ever growing friendship and cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad is now once agian reaching new heights. The plan to build the rail link follows the Sino-Pakistan Civilian Nuclear deal.

Russia is also bulding roads and rial systems connecting Dushambe and Ferghana with Islamabad.

LNG terminal at Gwadar Port likely alternative

Karachi—The much needed Iran Gas Pipeline project seems to be in hot waters international pressures and the UN sanctions against Iran it is learnt.

If the project fails to materialize the government is considering to set up an LNG Terminal at Gwadar port as an alternative to Iran gas pipeline project which is being considered as the savior in the persisting energy crisis in the country.

Meanwhile Naim Sharafat, MD SSGC in a briefing to the members of the Senate Committee on Wednesday has said an LNG terminal will be set up in Gwadar to allow re-gasified LNG to the system if Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project is hampered due to sanction on Tehran.

It may be mentioned that the Senate Standing Committee for Petroleum and Natural Resources was given a comprehensive presentation on the status of the Iran-Pakistan Pipeline project by the officials of Interstate Gas Systems. This was the first Senate Committee meeting held at SSGC since Iran and Pakistan inked the historic agreement.

pak observer dot net