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Govt urged to link Gwadar port with rail, road networks
The Gwadar port has not been connected with national road and rail networks which is the main hurdle in making the port fully functional.
There is also a shortage of skilled labour which necessitates technical training for the youth. - File photo
QUETTA: The standing committees of Senate and National Assembly on shipping and ports have suggested to the government to link the Gwadar port with main highways and rail and road networks.
A joint meeting of the committees held in Gwadar on Friday and Saturday reviewed various suggestions for developing the Gwadar port and making it fully functional.
Members of the committees observed that despite completion of the first phase, the port had not been connected with national road and rail networks, saying it was the main hurdle in making the port fully functional.
They observed that skilled labour was not available in Gwadar because there was no facility in the area for technical training.
They said that local people should be given priority in jobs and youths of Gwadar and Makran division should be given scholarship for training in technical institutions of Punjab and Sindh.
They also recommended completion of Gwadar international airport on a war footing and said the port city should get uninterrupted 24-hour power supply.
The meeting observed that workers in the Gwadar port were getting less as salary than workers of Karachi and Bin Qasim ports. The members urged the government to bring their salary structure and facilities at part with those working in other ports.
It was decided that members of both the committees would meet the prime minister soon to inform him about the situation in Gwadar and present their recommendations.
The chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee, Rana Mehmoodul Hasan, said that all possible steps would be taken to make Gwadar port fully functional.
Salient features to enhance transport policy in PSDP
ISLAMABAD, Jun 11 (APP): The government will undertake certain steps to improve its transport and communication policy under the Public Sector Development Programme allocations.
A major step under the NTC initiative, is the restructuring of Pakistan Railways on commercial lines.
Railways Business Plan is being prepared and a professional CEO would be appointed to run the Railways. Seven fast freight trains have already been introduced from Karachi to Lahore/Faisalabad and back.
The other important initiatives include finalization of track access policy for private sector and outsourcing of container transportation.
An allocation of Rs 11.3 billion has been made for 2008-09. Works on track rehabilitation of Pakistan Railway network, procurement of 69 DE locos, procurement/manufacture of 625 passenger coaches, procurement of 2300 bogie high capacity wagons, rehabilitation of 450 passenger coaches, recommissioning of 55 stabled DE locos, doubling of track on Lodhran-Raiwind sections, Damages to Railway Assets during riots in December 2007, and other on-going projects would continue.
Procurement/manufacture of 75 DE locomotives, 150 passenger coaches, construction of railway line and container terminal at Gwadar to provide up-country linkages, setting up of a PMU in the ministry, modern signaling Lodhran -Khanewal to Shahdra would be started.
A Ports master plan study, defining the roles of Karachi Port, Port Qasim and the Gwadar Port would be prepared.
The Business Plans of the three ports would be completed. A project monitoring unit which has been established within the Ministry of Ports and Shipping will undertake a study to identify the existing bottlenecks in efficient operation of ports and recommend phase-wise improvements required at the ports.
Outsourcing of container and other terminals at the ports is also planned. Land acquisition process for free zone at Gwadar will also be initiated. The closure of Karachi Dockyard Labour Board (KDLB) at the Karachi Port is also envisaged.
An allocation of Rs 372 million has been made to complete the balance works on the Gwadar Deep Sea Port Project, initiate works for acquisition of land for construction of East Bay expressway at Gwadar, land for Free Trade Zone and the Oil City.
Work on construction/supply of two floating pontoons for fish harbour will also be started.
An allocation of Rs 36.5 billion has been made for the national highways programme. Main thrust of the programme is aimed at the acceleration of work on the rehabilitation and dualization of National Highway (N-5) on different sections, left over work on Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1), Makran Coastal Road, Layari Expressway, Islamabad-Muzaffarabad Road (N-75), Mansehra Naran-Jalkhad and Jhalkhad -Chilas Road, Nutal-Sibi-Dhadar Section (N-65), Ratodero-Shahdadkot-Khuzdar Road, Qilla Saifuliah-Loralai-Bewata Section of (N-70), D.l.Khan-Mughalkot Section (N-50), Realignment of N-65 near Dera Allahyar and Jaccobabad and Bridge on River Jhelum at Azad Pattan, Lowari Tunnel, Gwadar Ratodero Road (Khuzdar-Khori, Ratodero-Quba Saeed Khan & Gwadar- Turbat), Hoshab-Panjgur-Nag-Baseema-Surab (450 Km long section) and the remaining portion of the Indus Highway (N-55) (Sehwan-Dadu, Dadu-Larkana, Rajanpur-D.G.Khan and Malana Junction-Sarai Gambila Sections). In addition, work will be initiated on the improvement of N-65 from Jaccobabad Bypass to Shikarpur, Quetta-Kalat-Chaman road, the National Highway Development Sector program and NWFP Road Sector program and Rehabilitation / Improvement / Widening of KKH (Raikot - Khunjrab section, 335 km) and designing work on east west road improvement project (34 km Gajj - Bewatla section of N-70) under JBIC Soft loan. Procurement of land is planned for Expressway from Faisalabad to Khanewal (E-4) as well its construction and land for Khanewal to Lodhran on southern side and on northern side land for Hassanabdal - Mansehra Expressway (E-35). Projects on Lodhran - Khanewal section of N-5, Peshawar Northern bypass, Lakpass Tunnel and Rawalpindi By-pass projects would be undertaken on BOT basis.
The projects will increase the total kilometrage of national highway network and contribute towards smooth and safe flow of vehicular traffic on the national highways network.
Development of a new expressway corridor in Phase-I being one of the vital components of the National Trade Corridor initiative, the route alignment of expressways would be finalized during the year.
Under Phase-II, a new motorway corridor on the west of Indus touching Balochistan would be developed as a long term measure. It is envisaged to develop industrial clusters, oil storage facilities and oil and gas pipelines along the proposed motorway and expressway corridors.
These initiatives would open up new vistas and avenues of trade with China, Central Asian Republics, India, Iran and even with Western countries. An allocation of Rs 41 million has been made for continuation of work related to Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Cell in M/o Communications.
The Cell would be instrumental in expediting the pace of work in the organizations working under M/o Communications, such as NHA, NH and MP, CMTI, NTRC and Post Offices.
An allocation of Rs 4.5 million has been made for continuation of research program and work on the Pakistan Transport Plan Study and National Transport Policy.
National Highway and Motorway Police is an effective organization working towards ensuring safety and smooth mobility on the national highways and motorways.
An allocation of Rs 100 million has been made for ongoing and new programs.
For T & C Sector, the Planning and Development Division has been allocated an amount of Rs 978 million for continuation of works under the NTC Management Unit and to start work on NTC Business Strategy Study through hiring international consultants and provision of CNG buses for Karachi city and other mega cities of the country on PPP basis.
An allocation of Rs 80 million has been made for the Trade & Transport Facilitation Unit to be established in the Ministry of Commerce.
An allocation of Rs 4.5 billion has been made for construction/improvement of 46 provincial and district roads in all the provinces including Sheikh Rasheed Expressway. These roads have been identified under the President/P.M directives.
An allocation of Rs 39 million has been made for continuation of work on construction of MSA Headquarters Building at Karachi.
An allocation of Rs 28 million has been made to complete the balance ongoing works for construction of barrack accommodations at airports i.e. Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi, Gwadar, Quetta, Pasni, and Jaccobabd. Works on shifting of barracks at NIIA and Peshawar due to expansion of airport and Water connection to ASF camp at Karachi would also be undertaken.
An allocation of Rs 1.5 billion has been made for Installation of Ship Lift at Transfer System and Associated Machinery and Equipment to provide docking and repair facilities to Surface Ships, Submarines and Commercial Vessels of upto 4,000 Tonnage at the KSEW and setting up of a Project Management Cell for development of Ship Building industry in Pakistan and civil works for up-gradation of KSEW.
An allocation of Rs 750 million has been made for construction of New Gwadar International Airport to meet the requirement of wide bodied aircraft B-747.
Islamabad—Giuseppe Vegas, Vice Minister for Economy and Finance, Italy led by a six-member Italian delegation called on Saleem H. Mandviwalla, Minister of State/Chairman, Board of Investment here on Saturday and discussed ways and means to explore the business opportunities in Pakistan with the help of Board of Investment and market them to Italian investors.According to a statement issued by the BOI here, Vincenzo Prati, Ambassador of Italy in Islamabad also attended the meeting.
He welcomed the business interests of Italian side in Agriculture and Fisheries sectors of Pakistan. A detailed presentation was also made to the delegates on the investment climate and opportunities available in Pakistan. The delegation was pleased to know about the incentives offered to foreign investors in Pakistan. Vice Minister informed that Italian entrepreneurs are also interested in projects of Railways and Construction. He also emphasized to carry out joint research in fisheries sectors of coastal areas of Pakistan. Pakistani private sector emphasized on the export of Shrimps to Italy and Government of Balochistan informed that the water of Gawadar area is clean and environment friendly.
ISLAMABAD - President Pakistan Computers Association (PCA) Munawar Iqbal on Tuesday said deep-sea port in Gwadar has the potential to become the main trade hub for this era.This brilliantly planned project having radically distinctive economic and strategic importance can change the destiny of Pakistan, he added.
Speaking at a meeting at the offices of PCA, Munawar Iqbal said Gwadar is located only 180 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz through which 40 percent of world’s oil passes, says a press release issued here on Tuesday.
“The port thus emerged as the key shipping hub in the area providing mass trade to central Asian republics as well as across Pakistan and China,” he said. He further said that large ports with huge cargo handling capacities could attract business community if efficient, modern and transparent customs services were made available.
“The efficiency, transparency and speed that has become available to Customs today through the Automated Customs system of PaCCS, was the only logically solution for Gwadar,” said Munawar Iqbal. He said that traditional systems would make cargo wait for days pending clearance, which will hamper development of this great project. “Serious choking of the port may take place if modern, electronic and automated systems were not used,” he warned adding that authorities should consider rolling out PaCCS beyond Karachi to as many customs stations as possible to enhance trade facilitation and to boost revenue collection.
He said restricting the benefits of PaCCS to only the port at Karachi was unfair to the traders of other areas of the country, he observed. Karachi port has transformed a once sleepy fishing village to a mega polis and we hope that Gwadar port will directly and indirectly bring lots of wealth, trade, and infrastructure advancement to the area, which has been traditionally left behind, in development.
Munawar Iqbal said that the multi-billion- rupee projects of Gwadar port and Rs 7.5 billion Gwadar Airport should be connected to the rest of the country through world class network and roads.
“These facilities should be fully automated so that importers as well as exporters can carry out business activities successfully and with peace of mind.
He said that capacity of 4,300-acre Gwadar airport should be increased to handle 1.5 million passengers and 70,000 tons of cargo a year.
Business community hope that political leadership will use their acumen to pacify negative feelings among some locals to get maximum advantage of the project, said Iqbal.
GWADAR: A joint meeting of Standing Committees on Ports & Shipping of Senate & National Assembly members held for the first time in Gwadar reviewed measures to make Gwadar deep seaport in Balochistan that should be fully operational at the earliest.
Presided by the Chairman Senate Standing Committee, Senator Gulshan Saeed and the Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee, MNA Rana Naseer. It also discussed impediments including roads, rail link, electricity, and requisition of land in making Gwadar seaport functional.
The members of parliament stressed that construction of seaport should be carried out on urgent basis, with employment opportunities provided to local people as well as ensuring facilities of housing for staff and their families. ppi
Meanwhile, a Canadian-based Pakistani company led by its Chairman Lutfur Rahman also called on Raisani and apprised him of its activities, especially about oil and gas exploration and drilling. The company, registered with New York Stock Exchange, shown its interest for investment in oil and gas development in Balochistan. The chief minister said that Balochistan had earmarked hundreds of acres of land at Pasni in District Gwadar for setting up an 'Oil City' where refineries, petroleum products units and other allied installations would be allowed to be set up.
daily times
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In this context, the IPI pipeline poses several risks and opportunities for Beijing. If India exited the pipeline, that would lessen Iran’s leverage to drive a hard bargain on gas prices. At the same time, as part of the overall strategy to build pipelines from Iran to China, or at least to Gwadar from where gas or oil could be shipped directly to China, Chinese participation would create a new overland energy link that could complement China’s energy diversification strategy.
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DIG Pathan suggests that as a stop-gap measure, some of the troops from the pre approved beats of the N-10 Makran Coastal Highway be deployed on the Northern By-Pass till the beats are ready to take charge. Of the 13 beats approved on the Makran Coastal Highway, only three are operational on ground between Gwadar and Pasni. The rest cannot be immediately deployed for reasons like the reservation of Baluchistan on the recruitment quotas for federal departments operating in Baluchistan. Then there is the security issue in general in which is creating difficulties in operating even existing beats.
Balochistan govt allocates land for oil city : Aslam Raisani
ISLAMABAD, Mar 5 (APP): Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani Friday said the government had allocated hundreds of acres of land at Pasni in District Gwadar for setting up an ‘Oil City’ where refineries, petroleum products units and other allied installations would be established. The Chief Minister said this while talking to Lutfur Rehman, Chairman/Chief Executive of a Canadian based Pakistani company, who called on him, said a press release issued here.
The company registered with New York Stock Exchange has shown its interest for investment in oil and gas development in Balochistan.
He said the province had vast potential for generating power through windmills and invited them to explore this sector as the country was already facing a serious energy crisis.
Nawab Raisani also dispelled the impression that the law and order situation in the province not ideal for any investment.
He added that the people of Balochistan were far more enlightened and hospitable than those sitting at the helm of affairs somewhere else.
However, Raisani categorically declared that any such agreements signed during the past dictatorial regimes that undermined the interest of the people of Balochistan would be reviewed and further action would be taken accordingly.
He cited the example of Reko Diq and Saindak copper and gold projects through which the people of Balochistan had been deprived of their due share.
Nawab Raisani said the Balochistan government welcomed any positive proposals by the stakeholders but vehemently rejected any outside interference.
Meanwhile talking to a delegation of Turkish investors he assured provision of conducive environment to local and foreign investors for making investment in various sectors in the province.
The Turkish delegation was led by Mustafa Serdar, Chairman Ataseven Group and comprised Duran, Business Development, Commercial Attache of Turkish Embassy and Executive Director NFRD. Dr. Hasan Iftekhar, The Turkish delegation is visiting Islamabad prior to Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s forthcoming visit to Pakistan to further strengthen the brotherly relations between the two countries.
On the occasion the Turkish team informed the Chief Minister that the Ataseven Group was a leading Turkish company engaged in multiple ventures in various countries and in Pakistan it was working on joint venture with National Foundation for Resource Development (NFRD) in ‘Biomass’ forensic and construction sectors and were also dealing security related equipment and gadgets.
Mustafa Serdar also offered Turkey’s technical assistance and expertise to Balochistan through the federal government.
Nawab Aslam Raisani expressed his gratitude for such offer and said Balochistan was a resource-rich province where the plentiful mineral resources had not been fully exploited, which include copper, gold, silver, chromites and many other precious material.
The Chief Minister asked the delegation to send proposals in order to see which sectors to work in.
A delegation of a Dubai based Islamic bank led by its country head, Jawad Majid also called on Nawab Aslam Raisani and apprised him of bank’s activities in the province including opening of new branches in Gwadar, Quetta and other towns.
Nawab Raisani appreciated the bank’s interest in the province and said that the banking sector had great opportunities after the announcement of the NFC Award whereby massive scale uplift projects are likely to start in Balochistan.
KARACHI – The Standing Committees of Senate and National Assembly on Ports and Shipping have reached Gwadar to discuss the role of Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) and its non-commitment to follow the business plan in accordance with a working paper submitted to the ministry related to the poor performance of PSA.
It was learnt by TheNation that the Standing Committees of both the Senate and National Assembly held a meeting on Thursday evening at Gwadar to review the role of PSA and matters related to the land at Gwadar Port, while two joint sessions would be held in this regard under the respective chairpersons of both the Standing Committees Rana Mehmood-ul-Hasan and Mrs Gulshan Saeed.
The sources informed that last month the working paper on the overall performance of Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) was submitted to Ministry of Ports and Shipping by Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) asking the failures/short comings on part of GPA and PSAI to be first hand discussed in detail between the Ministry and GPA.
On the directives of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, the working paper was submitted by GPA related to the performance of PSA, the sources informed.
The paper suggested the Ministry to discuss the matters like failure in implementing of Concessions Agreement on part of PSAI; Failures in implementing of Concessions Agreement on part of GPA; Failures on part of PSA Gwadar for not observing Prudent Terminal Practices as advised/recommended by IMO/IAPH; Failures on part of PSAI for neglecting maintenance of port machinery/crafts etc.
Moreover, PSAI to submit the details of USD$ 34.3 million invested; the Concession document may be renegotiated and amended; deadline to PSAI for non-compliance with Concession Agreement; and deadline for making the port operational not to exceed 4 months should also be discusses at length.
The paper says the major bulk for non-compliance with the Agreement lies with PSAI for the above said reasons, whereas GPA has not complied for not providing land for Free Zone development.
In addition connectivity with the hinterland and power supply is debatable for reasons that PSAI had surveyed the area very well prior bidding conference, but establishing of Free Zone should not be directly related to port operations for base cargo etc, there are several hundred sea ports around the world operating without Free Zones.
However, road connectivity with the hinterland is not a major issue either as studying the proposed different routes provided by National Highway Authority will nullify the claim of PSAI, the paper added.
Islamabad—President Pakistan Computers Association (PCA) Munawar Iqbal on Tuesday said deep-sea port in Gwadar has the potential to become the main trade hub for this era. This brilliantly planned project having radically distinctive economic and strategic importance can change the destiny of Pakistan.
Speaking at a meeting at the offices of PCA, Munawar Iqbal said that Gwadar is located only 180 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz through which 40 per cent of world’s oil passes. “The port thus emerge as the key shipping hub in the area providing mass trade to central Asian republics as well as across Pakistan and China,” he said.
He further said that large ports with huge cargo handling capacities can attract business community if efficient, modern and transparent customs services were made available.“The efficiency, transparency and speed that has become available to Customs today through the Automated Customs system of PaCCS, was the only logically solution for Gwadar,” said Munawar Iqbal.
He said that traditional systems would make cargo wait for days pending clearance, which will hamper development of this great project.“Serious choking of the port may take place if modern, electronic and automated systems were not used,” he warned adding that authorities should consider rolling out PaCCS beyond Karachi to as many customs stations as possible to enhance trade facilitation and to boost revenue collection.
He said restricting the benefits of PaCCS to only the port at Karachi was unfair to the traders of other areas of the country, he observed. Karachi port has transformed a once sleepy fishing village to a mega polis and we hope that Gwadar port will directly and indirectly bring lots of wealth, trade, and infrastructure advancement to the area, which has been traditionally left behind, in development.
Munawar Iqbal said that the multi-billion-rupee projects of Gwadar port and Rs 7.5 billion Gwadar Airport should be connected to the rest of the country through world class network and roads.“These facilities should be fully automated with PaCCS so that importers as well as exporters can carry out business activities successfully and with peace of mind.
He said that capacity of 4,300-acre Gwadar airport should be increased to handle 1.5 million passengers and 70,000 tons of cargo a year. Business community hope that political leadership will use their acumen to pacify negative feelings among some locals to get maximum advantage of the project, said Iqbal.—INP
ISLAMABAD: Pak-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) has decided that Oman would provide $45 million grant for construction of Gwadar International Airport and other development projects.
This has been agreed in the 6th session of Pak-Oman JMC which concluded here on Tuesday. It has also been decided that Oman Oil Company will make investment of $19.4 million in Pakistan’s energy sector.
ISLAMABAD: President Pakistan Computers Association (PCA) Munawar Iqbal said Gwadar project having radically distinctive economic and strategic importance could change the destiny of Pakistan. While talking to the PCA member here on Tuesday he said deep seaport in Gwadar had the potential to become the main trade hub for this era. Iqbal said that Gwadar was located only 180 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz through which 40 per cent of world’s oil passes. staff report
Sindh specially MQM doesn't want that gwadar port goes fully functional as they will have cuts in their revenue generation . But baloch government should go strict and get support from punjab as punjab is the biggest user of port qasim.
I have a commercial plot in Sun Silver City Gwadar facing COASTAL HIGH WAY. I am looking to sale it, interested buyers can contact me on my given number.
QUETTA: Federal Minister for Communications Arbab Alamgir Khan said on Wednesday that Nato containers and tankers had been causing a yearly loss of Rs50 billion to the National Highway Authority by damaging the road network in Balochistan.
“We have taken up the issue with the US government and Nato member countries and sought compensation for the loss caused by these tankers,” he told Dawn.
“About 100 Nato containers pass through Balochistan daily before entering Afghanistan via Chaman,” he said. The road between Port Qasim and Chaman had been damaged very badly, he added.
He said the tankers had also been causing traffic accidents, claiming many lives in the province.
Earlier, the minister told a press conference that development projects worth Rs70 billion were under way in Balochistan. The province had a 41 per cent share in NHA projects, he added.
Mr Khan said he had directed the authority to expedite work on Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab road to link Gwadar port with other parts of the country.
He said his ministry had received 5,000 applications and deserving candidates would be given jobs under the Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan package very
The president also inaugurated 50 kilometre-long Kanozai-Muslim Bagh Section N50, which has been completed at a cost of Rs1169.407 million. He also inaugurated the 50 kilometre-long Muslim Bagh-Qila Saifullah Road Project N50, completed with an amount of Rs1667.191 million. He also inaugurated 132KV Gwadar industrial grid station, which is located at a distance of about 40 kilometres from Gwadar towards Pasni on the Coastal Highway.
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