A report published by Gwadar Pro on Saturday said. that Gwadar is undergoing a transformational period of China Overseas Port Holding Company. that has borne fruit under China-led development. Compared to the past, Gwadar has seen promising. and positive changes in terms of its prospects and public life. It is still in a phase of extraordinary change.
China-led development
The people of Gwadar are seeing changes in their living standards, livelihoods, businesses. and socio-economic dynamics, according to the report. Indeed, the credit goes to China-led development of China Overseas Port Holding Company. It is true that Gwadar has transformed from a small fishing town into a center for trade and tourism. Undoubtedly, development will be a gradual and time-consuming process. and it is safe to say that Gwadar will become the commercial torchbearer for Pakistan. The transformation of infrastructure during. this period largely began in the early days of port construction. and was later exacerbated by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The period from 2015 was a particularly important turning point. for Gwadar thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative. Apart from operating the ports, China has taken several initiatives in Gwadar. East Bay Expressway (EBEW), New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA). China-Pakistan Vocational and Technical Training Institute (PCVTI).
Infrastructure development projects
300-bed China-Pakistan Friendship Hospital, 1.2 million gallons per day (MGD.) desalination plant, part of a Chinese-funded scheme , among many other infrastructure development projects. Many of these projects such as EBEW and PCVTI are in the works. Since China’s takeover of the Gwadar port in 2013. many direct and indirect benefits have provided to the local community. Many job opportunities offered. The continuous manufacturing process, especially in the Gwadar Free Zone. will create thousands of additional jobs. Moreover, indirectly, Gwadar benefited greatly. The city’s real estate and construction sectors are seeing a strong boost. The tourism sector is in the limelight thanks to the unplanned marketing by CPEC. In addition to infrastructure development. Gwadar sees several social welfare programs such as the Women’s Development Center in Gwadar. that aims to develop skills, empower women, and alleviate poverty.
Efficient power supply
Moreover, the planned projects can make the local population self-sufficient. China has so far installed more than 7,000 solar panels in Gwadar district. providing efficient power supply for local users. Gwadar Port has an excellent capacity to handle containers. bulk cargo and LPG vessels. Hundreds of thousands of shipments processed annually. Recently, a dedicated web service (weboc). has launched to speed up the customs clearance process. Gwadar Free Zone has more than 50 Pakistani. and international companies registered and in operation. A spokeswoman for the Singaporean company declined to comment. as did the Chinese government. But at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday. a foreign ministry spokesperson said China would “actively support all that is beneficial. to the friendship between China and Pakistan.”
bustling port city of Dubai
The fate of Gwadar, once described as Pakistan’s answer to the bustling port city of Dubai. in the United Arab Emirates, has been the focus of speculation. about China’s military and economic ambitions in South Asia over the past decade. American strategists see it as the largest western link in the “Chain of Pearls. a string of Chinese-friendly ports stretching from mainland China to the Persian Gulf. which will eventually lead to Chinese naval expansion in the region. That could make it easier, he explained. Gwadar located Close to the Strait of Hormuz, an important oil shipping route.
Joint energy project with Iran
But other analysts say Gwadar will take years to reach its potential, suggesting. that concerns about creeping Chinese influence may be overblown. Hasan Karrar, assistant professor of Asian history. at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. said, referring to the transfer of management. in Gwadar. Supply lines to the US-led coalition in Afghanistan mainly pass. through Pakistan’s ports to the east, and Gwadar is not involved. Likely to be of concern to Washington was another announcement. by Pakistan on Wednesday that said. the United States was moving ahead with a joint energy project with Iran. citing a 490-mile sector in Pakistan. He strongly opposes the Cabinet’s approval of Iran’s proposal to provide financing for part. the planned gas pipeline between the two countries. Last year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned. that the project could lead to sanctions against Pakistan.
Outside petrol stations
Pakistani political analysts see the announcement as part of Pakistani electoral politics. and there is widespread doubt that Pakistan will be able to complete the $1.6 billion project. Pakistan is suffering from a severe energy crisis. including severe gas shortages, resulting in long lines outside petrol stations. The gas pipeline, which has wide popular support. is positive news for President Asif Ali Zargari’s government. before it dissolved in preparation for elections scheduled for May. Iran has offered $500 million in financing to help Pakistan build part of the pipeline. but Western officials say Zargari’s government is still. struggling to implement parts of the deal. Both the Gwadar port. and the pipeline to Iran offer the possibility of reducing Pakistan’s strategic dependence on the United States. which has yet to materialize.
China contributed
The Gwadar port project, commissioned by General Musharraf, has sparked. a wave of sensational real estate speculation in what was once a sleepy fishing village. The developer has presented flashy plans for luxury apartments amid rumors. that the port could rival Dubai. China contributed 75% of the $248 million construction cost. and the Port of Singapore Authority won a 40-year contract to manage the facility. which began in early 2007. But Pakistan failed to build the port or the transport infrastructure needed to develop it. and the real estate bubble burst. as it reached The last ships there in November, according to port officials. Khurram Hussein, a business journalist in Reims. said The government has never built the infrastructure. that the port needs: roads, railways, warehouses, etc.
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