Planning minister reviews issues ‘impeding Gwadar Port operationalisation’

Planning minister Ahsan Iqbal reviewed on Tuesday critical issues impeding the operationalisation of Gwadar Port in Balochistan, a ministry statement said on Tuesday.

The development comes as Ahsan Iqbal chaired a high-level meeting to finalise the Gwadar Port Operationalisation Plan and address key challenges hindering its full functionality.

“The primary agenda of the meeting was to review critical issues impeding the operationalisation of Gwadar Port, finalise an actionable strategy for its activation, and ensure effective implementation of the plan once approved by the cabinet,” the statement read.

Numerous issues uncovered: Gwadar Port struggles to achieve desired success

Addressing the meeting, the minister emphasised the government’s commitment to making Gwadar a regional trade hub.

He stated that the prime minister had directed immediate operationalisation of Gwadar Port, and all stakeholders must adopt a proactive approach to accelerate progress, according to the statement.

Ahsan Iqbal further stressed that the economic viability of Gwadar Port was directly linked to providing livelihood opportunities for local communities in Balochistan.

“The success of Gwadar is tied to creating employment opportunities for its people. Rapid urbanisation, development of IT parks, free zones, and high-rise buildings, and improved infrastructure are essential for Gwadar’s transformation into a modern port city,” he remarked.

The minister highlighted the strategic importance of Central Asian Republics (CARs) in Gwadar’s operationalisation, directing the relevant ministries to position Gwadar as a competitive trade and transshipment hub for CARs.

“We need to actively engage with CARs and offer them a compelling value proposition for using Gwadar as their preferred trade route,” he asserted.

To facilitate that, DG National Logistics Corporation (NLC) was tasked with presenting viable options for linking Central Asian trade with Gwadar.

The minister underscored the importance of robust security arrangements to ensure seamless port operations.

Cabinet body meets to discuss utilisation of Gwadar Port for public sector imports

He further directed the concerned departments to identify locations for rest areas along the Karachi-Gwadar route and ensure mobile network coverage for improved connectivity.

Additionally, Member Infrastructure, Planning Commission, Waqas Anwer was assigned the task of identifying short-term and long term measures and formulating an action plan for immediate interventions.

A dedicated working group on transshipment was also proposed to fast-track initiatives linking CAR trade with Gwadar Port.

The meeting was co-chaired by Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, while Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal participated online.

The session was also attended by the Secretaries from relevant ministries, CEO of the Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A) and other key stakeholders, according to the ministry statement.