Ministry asked to draft comprehensive roadmap for Gwadar’s development

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal directed the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to draft a comprehensive and actionable roadmap for Gwadar’s development, incorporating strategies to enhance industrial zones and optimise traffic along the western provincial route.

The minister, Tuesday, chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the operationalisation of Gwadar Port. The meeting, held in Islamabad, was attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, Member infrastructure Waqas Anwar, senior officials from the Planning Commission, and representatives from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Communications, Maritime Affairs, Railways, and Petroleum, as well as the Gwadar Port Authority and other relevant departments.

Representatives from various embassies also participated via video link.

The discussions focused on devising short- and medium-term strategies to operationalise Gwadar Port effectively within six months. The federal minister emphasised the importance of comparing Gwadar’s trade costs with other regional ports, including those in Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Bishkek, and Tashkent.

Highlighting Gwadar’s strategic importance, the minister noted that it serves as the shortest trade route to Xinyang, China. He urged the private sector to share detailed proposals to enhance trade through the port, assuring full government support in providing relevant data. The minister also stressed the need to facilitate the private sector in bringing more shipments to Gwadar, which has so far handled traffic mainly through government initiatives.

Addressing concerns regarding Gwadar’s infrastructure, the minister clarified that there are no water issues due to the availability of a desalination plant, and most areas now have access to electricity. He emphasised the port’s capability to handle significant cargo volumes, citing past performance of 600,000 tons of cargo handled efficiently.

The minister further highlighted Gwadar’s potential as a key hub for trade with Central Asian Republics, given its proximity and capability to handle imports and exports efficiently.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to creating a practical and collaborative action plan to fully operationalise Gwadar Port and unlock its potential as a regional trade hub.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025