- ‘A robust policy is being devised to transform the coastal city into a regional hub of trade and business activities’
ISLAMABAD: Planning, Development & Reform Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar said on Tuesday that Gwadar would be transformed into a developed and smart port city of international standards with effective urban strategies.
“A robust policy is being devised to turn the coastal city into a regional hub of trade and business activities, the minister said while chairing the steering committee meeting on Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal, Commander Southern Command Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa, Planning Secretary Zafar Hasan, Frontier Works Organisation Director General Maj Gen Inam Haider Malik, Chinese Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Zhao Li Jian, Planning Commission members, planning ministry officials and China Pakistan Economic Corridor Project Director Hassan Daud were present on the occasion.
CPEC Project Director Hassan Daud along with the team of Fourth Harbor Design Institute (FHDI) briefed the participants about the proposed master plan.
The minister appreciated the work done by FHDI on Gwadar Master Plan, noting that earlier recommendations made on land utilisation and policy framework have been incorporated in the proposed plan.
The minister expressed optimism that the report/master plan of Gwadar would be finalised soon, after which it would be submitted to the cabinet for final approval.
Bakhtiar said that the Gwadar port has the potential to improve the socio-economic lives of people of the city and Balochistan at large which would connect the region’s land and maritime route thereby benefiting the entire region.
He underlined that the Gwadar Master Plan is a major milestone towards achieving an inclusive and sustainable development of the coastal city. “The rights of the local population will be protected and they will be facilitated in every possible manner so that they can reap the benefits of development in Gwadar.”
Bakhtiar also stressed that the land price speculation in Gwadar also needs to be regulated.
The Balochistan chief minister stated that the provincial government is committed to implementing the master plan.
