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Gwadar Free Zone promotion plan to be submitted to Cabinet panel soon

Gwadar Free Zone promotion plan to be submitted to Cabinet panel soon

Gwadar Free Zone promotion plan to be submitted to Cabinet panel soon

Image: File

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ISLAMABAD: The governments of Pakistan and China held meetings of the two joint working groups on Gwadar and socioeconomic development through video-conferencing.

The sixth session of the Joint Working Group on Gwadar was co-chaired by Planning Development and Special Initiatives secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili and Ying Xiong, director general of the National Development and Reforms Commission of China.

The meeting reviewed the implementation status of the CPEC projects in Gwadar and deliberated upon the future course of action regarding the development of Gwadar city, port and the free zone.

Both sides expressed satisfaction on steady progress made on various projects, including operationalisation of Gwadar Port and its inclusion in the Afghan Transit Trade route; finalisation of the Smart Port City Master Plan; completion of the Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute; substantial progress on Eastbay Expressway; commencement of work on the new Gwadar International Airport and the Pak-China Friendship Hospital.

Economic Affairs and Maritime Affairs secretaries, representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs, aviation, defence, CPEC Authority, PPIB, GPA, government of Balochistan, GDA, as well as representatives of their counterparts in China participated in the meeting.

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During the meeting, it was noted that the Gwadar Free Zone Phase-I has been successfully completed, while work on the much larger Phase-II, covering an area of 2,221 acres has been started.

The meeting emphasised on the need to finalise the marketing and investment plan for the free zone along with its implementation strategy. It was informed that the plan would soon be submitted for consideration of the Cabinet Committee on CPEC.

Chinese enterprises, including Zhejiang DRC, China Communication Construction Company, Zhejiang Seaport and Huazhang Technology made presentations during the meeting on their planned investments in the Low Carbon Recycling Park, within the Gwadar Free Zone.

The Pakistani side assured the investors of full support and cooperation for their ventures.

It was noted that despite the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting travel restrictions, the projects in Gwadar were implemented at a steady pace.

The meeting also took note of various operational issues being faced by the projects during the year. It was noted that several issues have been resolved through intervention of relevant authorities. Both sides resolved to address any remaining issues on a priority basis.

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The meeting was also informed that the government of Pakistan was actively implementing various projects, in close collaboration with the provincial government, to ensure provision of all the necessary facilities in Gwadar.

The projects include linking Gwadar to the national electricity grid; provision of water to Gwadar City from nearby dams; establishment of University of Gwadar and Gwadar Safe City project and certain other projects in the socioeconomic domain.

The two sides resolved to redouble the efforts to tap the full potential of the Gwadar Port and free zone, as well as ensure that the local population of Gwadar and surrounding areas fully benefit from these projects by utilising the massive opportunities being created in various sectors.

The third meeting of the Joint Working Group on socioeconomic development under CPEC was held under the co-chairmanship of Abdul Aziz Uqaili, secretary, Planning Development and Special Initiatives and Deng Boqing, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) to review the progress of the current projects and deliberated on the potential new projects to enhance cooperation in the socioeconomic development under CPEC.

The group was established in November 2018 under the CPEC framework to ensure that economic dividends of CPEC projects reach the less developed areas and peoples’ livelihood are improved.

Both sides expressed satisfaction on the steady progress of the first batch (17 fast-track) projects and the second batch (10 priority) projects, despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The convenor of the Pakistani side thanked the government and people of China for their generous support to Pakistan for tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, especially the timely supply of vaccines.

He also thanked the Chinese counterparts for their support and assistance to the government of Pakistan for socioeconomic development.

The CIDCA chairman and convenor of the Chinese side reiterated China’s strong support for the people and the government of Pakistan and said that the two brotherly countries have always helped and supported each other.

He recalled Pakistan’s support to China in the early phase of the pandemic and said that such help is highly valued.

The Pakistani side shared the proposed third batch of projects for consideration of the Chinese counterparts. The projects were finalised after due consultations with stakeholders, including all provinces, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. It was decided to further enhance bilateral cooperation and implementation mechanism by constituting subcommittees at the working level on both sides.

The meeting was attended by representatives of federal ministries and all the provincial governments, AJK and Gilgit Baltistan and 11 relevant departments of the government of China.

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The embassies of the two countries also joined the meeting.

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