By Sikander Hayat
I have always been very interested in Gwadar and have been a keen observer of the scaremongering that Western and Indian media have been spreading for a long time. They have never understood what Gwadar really is and what are its implications for the people of Baluchistan. Their only concern is China and how China has helped Pakistan build this port of Gwadar to achieve its own strategic objectives. To understand Gwadar you have to understand Balochistan and its sense of deprivation over last many decades. Balochistan has no proper urban centres apart from the capital city of Quetta and this capital city lies on the Pakistan Afghanistan border. It has suffered hugely from the influx of Afghan refugees and general law and order condition over the border in Afghanistan. It does not make sense to have a capital of a large entity like Balochistan on a volatile frontier and then to hope that this city will become the engine of growth of all of Balochistan.
Balochistan needs a new start and this new start has no better contender than Gwadar as a capital. Gwadar has been declared the winter capital of Balochistan and this is a very good step in the right direction for this province but a lot needs to be done. Federal government needs to rethink its strategy towards Gwadar and need to pick up from where Musharaf government left.
It is true that Musharaf was the first person to really take a keen interest in the development of Gwadar and he was probably taking personal interest in the city of Gwadar to make it an industrial and tourist destination. Musharaf was an army man but not all of his ideas were bad. It can be argued that Gwadar in general and Baluchistan in particular have been neglected under democratic governments and it took an army man in the form of Pervaiz Musharaf to kick start the development projects in Baluchistan. Gwadar was the poster child of this development idea.
Building the coastal highway to join Gwadar with Karachi was a master stroke and starting the port construction was another major step towards the right direction. Where he went wrong was the lack of consultation with the local stakeholders and tried to force feed development to Gwadar people. Locals thought of the project as a colonisation attempt by the federal government and balked at the idea of increase in the population which they thought would have come with the development of local infrastructure.
The current democratic government must takeover the development of Gwadar from the point where Musharaf government left it, instead of abandoning the project altogether. A democratic government will be better placed to include the Gwadar residents in the development and give them a stake in the uplift of the city.
Gwadar can and will take Baluchistan out of poverty and give the province its rightful place in the federation. Gwadar has an excellent climate
all around the year, a bit like Sharm Al Sheikh on the red sea coast of Egypt. Gwadar should be developed as a tourist attraction where sun bathers from Europe, North America, rest of the world e.t.c can lounge around in sun and have a good time on a week or two of luxury holidays.
This development should be done on top of the port operations and connection of Gwadar by road and rail to other major cities of Pakistan. Unless Gwadar is connected fully and properly to the rest of the country, there will be no or very limited private investment in the city when it is in desperate
need of private investment.
Gwadar needs attention and needs attention now. Federal government and Baluchistan government must put all their efforts in reinvigorating the Gwadar port which will result in the progress dividend for the people of Gwadar & Baluchistan resulting in peace and prosperity of this vital federating unit and the whole country.
Related Posts:
Balochistan - Troubles Of Demographic Nature
Gwadar - Jewel Of Balochistan
Gwadar - Centre Of Central Asia
Gwadar Port Becomes Fully Operational
I have always been very interested in Gwadar and have been a keen observer of the scaremongering that Western and Indian media have been spreading for a long time. They have never understood what Gwadar really is and what are its implications for the people of Baluchistan. Their only concern is China and how China has helped Pakistan build this port of Gwadar to achieve its own strategic objectives. To understand Gwadar you have to understand Balochistan and its sense of deprivation over last many decades. Balochistan has no proper urban centres apart from the capital city of Quetta and this capital city lies on the Pakistan Afghanistan border. It has suffered hugely from the influx of Afghan refugees and general law and order condition over the border in Afghanistan. It does not make sense to have a capital of a large entity like Balochistan on a volatile frontier and then to hope that this city will become the engine of growth of all of Balochistan.
It is true that Musharaf was the first person to really take a keen interest in the development of Gwadar and he was probably taking personal interest in the city of Gwadar to make it an industrial and tourist destination. Musharaf was an army man but not all of his ideas were bad. It can be argued that Gwadar in general and Baluchistan in particular have been neglected under democratic governments and it took an army man in the form of Pervaiz Musharaf to kick start the development projects in Baluchistan. Gwadar was the poster child of this development idea.
Building the coastal highway to join Gwadar with Karachi was a master stroke and starting the port construction was another major step towards the right direction. Where he went wrong was the lack of consultation with the local stakeholders and tried to force feed development to Gwadar people. Locals thought of the project as a colonisation attempt by the federal government and balked at the idea of increase in the population which they thought would have come with the development of local infrastructure. 
The current democratic government must takeover the development of Gwadar from the point where Musharaf government left it, instead of abandoning the project altogether. A democratic government will be better placed to include the Gwadar residents in the development and give them a stake in the uplift of the city.
Gwadar can and will take Baluchistan out of poverty and give the province its rightful place in the federation. Gwadar has an excellent climate
all around the year, a bit like Sharm Al Sheikh on the red sea coast of Egypt. Gwadar should be developed as a tourist attraction where sun bathers from Europe, North America, rest of the world e.t.c can lounge around in sun and have a good time on a week or two of luxury holidays. This development should be done on top of the port operations and connection of Gwadar by road and rail to other major cities of Pakistan. Unless Gwadar is connected fully and properly to the rest of the country, there will be no or very limited private investment in the city when it is in desperate
need of private investment. Gwadar needs attention and needs attention now. Federal government and Baluchistan government must put all their efforts in reinvigorating the Gwadar port which will result in the progress dividend for the people of Gwadar & Baluchistan resulting in peace and prosperity of this vital federating unit and the whole country.
Related Posts:
Balochistan - Troubles Of Demographic Nature
Gwadar - Jewel Of Balochistan
Gwadar - Centre Of Central Asia
Gwadar Port Becomes Fully Operational
Consortium of two-leading Chinese construction companies, CREC and Sinotec, has offered to construct strategic Gwadar-Khunjrab Rail Link at an estimated cost of Rs 250 billion including Rs 160 billion for infrastructure and Rs 90 billion for locomotives on electric traction basis in four years on soft-term loan.
ReplyDeleteISLAMABAD: Consortium of two-leading Chinese construction companies, CREC and Sinotec, has offered to construct strategic Gwadar-Khunjrab Rail Link at an estimated cost of Rs 250 billion including Rs 160 billion for infrastructure and Rs 90 billion for locomotives on electric traction basis in four years on soft-term loan.
The offer was made on behalf of the Chinese companies consortium by Song Shuan Ping in a comprehesive presentation before Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique on Wednesday. Senior officials of the railways and other ministries concerned were among those present.
The loan so offered can be professional loan, commercial loan or as a grant and will be payable in seven years period.
Pointing out strategic importance of Gwadar–Khunjrab Rail Link, Song Shuang Song listed a number of benefits which would accrue both to Pakistan and China as well as the countries of the region once the project is implemented and it becomes operational.
He said the rail link will enhance the security of Pakistan and stabilise the region due to its strategic importance, main aim of the link is to connect the Central Asian Republics with Pakistan Railways network, the link will boost to a great extent trade relations between China and Pakistan, China will be able to receive cargo to and from Gwadar along the shortest route from Gwadar to Khunjrab.
He further pointed out that this rail link can also be used to supply oil from Persian Gulf to all Pakistan and Xianjiang China, can also provide access to China to Iran, enhance tourism in Northern Areas and Balochistan besides generating employment opportunities in the Northern Areas of Pakistan.
Making the presentation, the consortium representative strongly pleaded for electric traction as compared to present diesel traction on which Pakistan Railways is being run and said pointedly that the adoption of electric traction can provide electricity for train lighting and air-conditioning and also to the railway stations for operational purposes in this era of power shortage.
He said electric traction also has substantial financial benefits estimated to be around Rs 32 billion per annum through saving on account of fuel and lube oil, maintenance and overhauling, less staff required, elimination of power vans, non-transportation of diesel oil, long life and short turn around time.
Highly appreciating the presentation and the offer of financial assistance to implement Gwadar –Khunjrab Rail Link, the Railways minister said that China is a great time tested friend of Pakistan and number of Chinese companies are already working in different sectors in Pakistan for various years. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has more than once highlighted strategic importance of Gwadar-Khunjrab Rail Link adding that the offer of the Chinese companies consortium will be given due consideration on top priority basis by all concerned and a decision taken as soon as possible. He said the govt is attaching high priority to put the Pakistan Railways back on track and make it financially as well as commercially viable and profitable once again ensuring provision of best possible facilities and amenities to the traveling people across the country.
It may be mentioned here that China Railway Engineering Corporation is the third largest construction company in the world, has built more than 50,000 kilometres of rail lines, over 5,760km of bridges, 4,700km of tunnels, 3,400km motorways and 566km metropolitan railways in different countries .
Sinotec has a vast experience of electrification, construction of transmission lines and grid stations of 220 KV and 500 KV as well as construction of EPC projects in the areas of infrastructure and renewable energy.