District Nazim Gwadar, Abdul Ghafoor Kalmati talking to APP here Friday strongly rejected the apprehensions among some quarters regarding development of the port and said it would help bring Balochistan’s coastal areas into socio-economic mainstream and serve as a catalyst for fast track development of the province.

“Establishment of special economic zones, free trade zone, and Export Processing Zone (EPZ) would attract foreign investment creating innumerable job opportunities for local youth which would directly raise the living standard of their families”, he said

PML (Q) MPA, Sheikh Jaffar Mandokheil said Gwadar seaport is best in the region having geographic potential to link the region.

Gwadar port will not only open up the hinterland but also the people of Mekran who are associated with fishing and agriculture, especially growing dates will have access to easier transportation for dates export to foreign markets.

“Development of an integrated transport system-road and rail links to CARs and rest of the country will also enhance the local people’s access to new avenues for their development and prosperity”, he concluded.

The provincial minister for Fisheries, Hamal Kalmati said for landlocked Central Asian economies, Balochistan offers access to new resources and markets and the prospect of more rapid growth. He said there was no insurgency in the province, just a political protest, and there was a need to talk with Balochistan’s political leaders to take them on board.

He stated that everyone was cooperating with the development of Gwadar and Balochs need to be provided the opportunity to work.

Although there would be massive demographic change in Gwadar, he dismissed the idea that Balochs would become a minority in their own province. app

dailytimes.com.pk

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan is considering Uzbekistan’s request for provision of transport facilities at the Gwadar Port and Port Qasim, Uzbek Ambassador Aybek Arif Usmanov said on Tuesday.

In a statement issued on the eve of Uzbekistan’s 18th independence day, the ambassador said Uzbekistan had earlier asked Pakistan to provide transport facilities at its ports. He said the federal cabinet had also ratified the transit trade agreement with Uzbekistan, which would prove instrumental in promoting trade relations between the two countries. The ambassador said both countries enjoyed friendly relations based on deep-rooted historical interactions and brotherhood.

He said several bilateral visits of the top leadership had taken place in the past.

dailytimes.com.pk

The Prime Minister said that port charges in Pakistan are high in the region. Trade cargo handling is sluggish while storage facilities are deficient. This, he said, impedes the flow of trade and adds to the cost of doing business.

The Prime Minister said that since the transfer of Pakistan Marine Academy to Higher Education Commission in 2004 for turning it into a university / centre of excellence has not materialized, the possibility of shifting its administrative control back to the Ministry may be examined.

He said that Gwadar Port is the port of future and must be developed as per its Master Plan, positioning it as a hub for trade and trans-shipment in the region.

Gwadar is ideally placed to serve trading needs of Central Asia, Afghanistan and western part of China. For this purpose, he added, “we need to move fast on developing communication infrastructure”.

The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Communication to expedite construction of road network from Gwadar to up country to facilitate transportation and enhance port activity.

He said that it is a matter of concern that in terms of ports and shipping, Pakistan is not competitive regionally. “We failed to build on the shipping capacity that we inherited. We are now totally dependent on foreign ships for our external trade and pay billions of dollars in freight annually”, he added.

The Prime Minister said that existing port infrastructure in some cases is under-utilized. He said the Government has been paying guaranteed returns to investors but the potential benefits have not accrued.

The Prime Minister emphasized that future investments should be planned more carefully and after doing proper need assessment and cost benefit analysis.

“Our priority should be full utilization and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. Financial viability and long term economic sustainability must be our guiding principle”, he added.

He said port authorities should evaluate and improve land usage in order to ensure that land assets are optimally utilized. He stressed that Port authorities need to become more transparent and accountable in their internal operations.

The Prime Minister said the government believes in good governance, prudent management and financial discipline in all state institutions.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is a country with great future. “In the years to come, as economy and external trade grows, we would need port infrastructure that is futuristic, reliable, efficient and cost competitive. Side by side, we should pay more attention to re-building indigenous shipping industry”, he added.

The Prime Minister also asked the Minister for Ports and Shipping to lobby for the permanent membership of International Maritime Organization through Foreign Office as well as on his own level, following this the possibility of sending a permanent representative at the IMO headquarters would be considered.

app.com.pk

As Pakistan’s first and only bulk cargo terminal in the private sector, the wastage that is witnessed at other ports is not seen in Gwadar. Here, using state of the art machinery, fertilizer is off-loaded and bagged quickly and cleanly. A port official says that since activity started in December 2008, there has been “no theft, no delays and no strikes.”

Pilferage and waste is as high as 5 per cent of total quantities in other ports, which has made some bulk cargo importers now look at Gwadar as an option. Currently, the Trading Corporation of Pakistan is importing fertilizer through the port. Unlike Karachi and Port Qasim, there are no delays here. “Demurrage on charter ships can be as high as $50,000 per day,” says one official. That is why it is making more sense to import through Gwadar.

Port Singapore Authority (PSA) which is running the port, however, says that Gwadar cannot realize its full potential until the M-8 highway, which will connect Gwadar to Awaran and Ratodero and onwards to Punjab and beyond, is built. It was first billed for opening in 2006 and now this has been pushed to 2011. The port was supposed to open when the highway was built. So there is understandable anger that this has not happened.

There is much anger in Gwadar, with many town dwellers saying that the fortunes of the city have evaporated with the departure of President Musharraf. Once touted as the “Dubai of Pakistan,” Gwadar is now being seen as the “Mirage of Musharraf,” by people who invested millions into the town in the hope that one day it would be the most happening place in the country. So far it has only been a long wait.

Property prices are an indicator of the gloom. In the most prestigious housing area of Gwadar, the Singhar Housing Society, estate agents say that property prices for a 500 square yard plot in Phase 1 have dropped from Rs2.4 million to Rs1.6 million. Similar falls have been witnessed elsewhere too.

But Haji Abdul Qadir, the president of the local Chamber of Commerce, disagrees with these sentiments. He says that Musharraf did deliver on many counts. For one, under his government the grand Coastal Highway was built which connected the town with Karachi, and opened up endless possibilities.

Qadir, who owns a seafood processing factory, has trebled production owing to the highway. “Before, it took three days for my products to reach Karachi. Now it takes one day,” he says. About real estate prices, Qadir says that speculators made a killing. “Now prices will once again rise, but at realistic levels.”

The chamber president says Gwadar’s potential as a port city will be realized once its deep sea port is fully operational. “People have to be patient.”

Gwadar still holds great promise owing to its location at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz. Using binoculars, sitting at the grand Pearl Continental Hotel which is located on a mountain overlooking the sea, one can spot the super tankers that make their way in and out of the Persian Gulf.

But the hotel is largely empty as both tourists and businessmen have been scared away by political troubles in Balochistan. The hotel, says one employee, is “barely surviving.”

The Town Nazim, Abdul Majid, says that this is all false propaganda created by “vested interests.” Majid says Gwadar is one of the most peaceful towns in the country, and is almost crime free. “The problem is not violence,” he argues “it is corruption.”

Majid says that the writ of the local government continues to be challenged by the centre. He says he has no money to repair roads and drains and the Gwadar Development Authority, which is supposed to work on infrastructure, has limited its development works to the outskirts of the town There is some truth in what Majid says. It is true that the war being fought by the Balochistan Liberation Army has not reached Gwadar yet. There have been no attacks on installations or government functionaries.

But there is anger. In comparison to other parts of the province, there is a higher rate of literacy. But with that comes frustration, as there are few jobs available. Many companies and government departments have brought in people from other parts of the country and this has only fuelled resentment amongst the locals.

With its historic ties with Oman, the young men who hang around the Gwadar Club and on the pristine beachside, say that their goal is to find work in Muscat. Or to go to Karachi which is about 700 kilometers away.

Salim Baluch, who works at Gwadar Port, says he fears that the frustration of the young men can be exploited by political forces. He is one of the few who have got jobs at the port; otherwise too many outsiders are employed here. “You give an advertisement today and hundreds will answer it. People want work. But the government is doing nothing.” Many in Gwadar feel that the benefits that should come to them are being taken away by outsiders. This feeling is prevalent in other parts of the province too. So far, however, it has not translated into violence. Analysts fear that there may not be much more time to make amends.

thenews.com.pk

‘There are two key issues in port operations: one is land connectivity and other is land acquisition’, said Khurram Abbas, director PSA Gwadar, while talking to this scribe on phone. He said, ‘the land under possession of Pakistan Navy and coast guards has not yet been handed over to the Singapore Port Authority (PSA) for development of free zone and other port-related infrastructure.’

‘Without port connectivity through rail and road links, goods cannot be transported to Afghanistan, the Central Asian States and other regional countries’, he added.

Abbas said, ‘we need land for the development of a free zone for the port related facilities at East Bay of Gwadar. Without land acquisition, the PSA is unable to develop offices, residential facilities, port back up area in the proposed free zone and provide the traders, industrialists, businessmen, shipping companies, stevedoring firms, transporters with all possible facilities for doing business at Gwadar’.

The ball is in government’s court to make the port fully functional. Under the concession agreement signed with PSA in February 2007, the government was committed to hand over 923 hectares of land to the Singaporean firm by June 2008 on lease for the development of a free zone. The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) is bound to acquire 350 hectares for ‘free zone area’ in addition to 584 acres in the possession of Pakistan Navy and 70 acres with the coast guards. .

Though 700 km long Makran Coastal Highway links Gwadar with Pasni, Ormara and Karachi, other regional linkages such as Gwadar-Ratodero motorway are yet to be completed. The motorway would link Gwadar with Indus Highway through districts of Turbat, Awaran and Khuzdar. Similarly, no progress has been made on the proposed rail link from Gwadar to Quetta and Zahidan.

Mekran coastal highway is the only link which is being used by a large number of trucks to transport urea and wheat from Gwadar to Karachi. In view of the port operations, which have boosted the trucking activity, the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) needs to build a truck stand in the port area.

In the absence of truck stand, vehicles are parked on roads and traffic congestion has emerged as a problem in the port area. The long-term solution would come after completion of East Bay Expressway project, which will ensure a smooth flow of vehicles and link the port to the National Highway network.

In this year’s budget, the federal government has earmarked a mere Rs30 million for East Bay Expressway project that would cost Rs3.77 billion, according to one estimate. Gwadar-Ratodero Road project, which will connect Gwadar port with the upcountry, is also facing financial crunch for its timely completion.

Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Khan Ghauri recently told the Senate that the Navy’s occupation of the land was adversely affecting the functioning of the port and could force its closure.

The federal government plans to establish a tax-free zone in the new port city of Gwadar for which transfer of 584-acre land to the Singaporean operator is a prerequisite.

Analysts fear that the Singaporean firm may ultimately go to the Arbitration Court in London, holding the government of Pakistan accountable for defaulting on its contractual obligations. The ministry of defence has refused a free-of-cost transfer of the said land to the GPA for the proposed free zone.

Pakistan Navy had acquired 584 acres of land with seafront from Balochistan government in 1980. On refusal of the Navy to hand over the land, the previous government decided that Pakistan Navy would hand over only 30 acres to GPA for developing the road-rail-link leading to the free zone at Gwadar port.

The defence ministry has been of the view that GPA has long enough waterfront available for mercantile needs and development of free zone. It believes that 584 acres of land with Pakistan Navy is essentially required for defence of maritime interests and for the protection of the port itself.

Another issue in making the port functional has been the delay in fixing the port tariff announced after the arrival of first vessel at Gwadar port in March 2008, a year after the ceremonial opening of the port in March 2008. Ship agents and cargo consultants have been waiting for the announcement of port tariff to start doing the business. ‘We have already fixed tariffs and port charges, which are available on our website,’ says Abbas.

Only a competitive tariff could attract shipping lines to discharge cargoes at Gwadar instead of cruising to Dubai and Karachi and leaving for the next port for loading.

Critics say that the project has been the victim of lethargy and an unprofessional approach. They argue that the port was not ready to start cargo handling at the time of its inauguration in March 2007, as the handling equipment including gantry cranes, post-panamic rubber-tyre cranes and fork lifters were not installed. The installation of the handling equipment took almost eight months. The operationalisation of the port was also delayed to December 2008.

The port began cargo handling from March 15, 2008 and was declared officially functional last December. Ships carrying urea and wheat have so far berthed at the port which can a handle cargo ships up to 0.25 million tons.

dawn.com

Significantly, there was a separate three-power discussion involving Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, which signed on implementing the construction of rail, roads and highways on the Panji Poyon-Sherkhon and Bandar-Kabul-Peshawar routes, giving Tajikistan access to sea through Pakistani ports. President Zardari ended up saying the Dushanbe summit decision would be appreciated by generations to come.

The Russian president was there when the summit appealed for investments and control of the smuggling of drugs and weapons and cross-border crime. Pakistan and Russia promised to push their stalled relationship forward by agreeing that “terrorism and militancy were not only a threat to peace and stability of the region, but to the world as a whole” and that the two would strengthen bilateral trade.

Around the same time last year a Pakistani delegation had gone to Dushanbe to talk about importing 1,000MW of electricity from Tajikistan and its neighbour Kyrgyzstan at a rate which was four cents less than the one Pakistan was paying to the IPPs. This year, too, there is talk of Central Asian electricity; and the summit declaration has talked about doing something about the “transport infrastructure” in the region. It is obvious that transport infrastructure is what is lacking, and Pakistan in particular should worry about facing the same kind of difficulties with electricity pylons as it is facing with its indigenous gas pipelines.

The Central Asian region is silently moving to a new political configuration and Pakistan can no longer separate itself from it just because it is negatively preoccupied in South Asia. This is more important because the time has come to think of connecting South Asia economically with Central Asia where Russia and China are the big factors of change. Those who say that Central Asian states are sparsely populated and therefore not important from the point of view of exports from India and Pakistan, must have also taken note of how Pakistan has been consistently looking to Tajikistan for the strengthening of its national power grid; and that Tajikistan has been eying Gwadar for an outlet to the sea through Pakistan.

Pakistan has been quietly supplying the food markets of Central Asia through smuggling. The Pakistani potential for growing food crops can only be realised if it becomes a permanent source of supply to the region through secure trade routes. Food in return for electricity would be a fair deal under any circumstances. Other countries including India can also share the route facilities provided by Pakistan — an MoU in this regard has already been signed by the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan — while a recently built bridge across the Amu Darya, the river which divides Afghanistan and Tajikistan, will allow Chinese goods to be sent down to Pakistan for export from Gwadar. China has already built a new road linking Xinjiang, its westernmost province, with Tajikistan.

Where China and Russia lead the regional groupings — as they do in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) — the effort is to replace terrorism with trade as the mode of communication between states. China was not in Dushanbe but its influence was unmistakable. It is the largest investor in Afghanistan and it is the closest strategic ally of Pakistan. The SCO to which all the summit members send their delegations targets Islamic extremism as the main source of terrorism in the region. President Rakhmon — he used to be Rakhmonov not long ago — guards the interests of Uzbekistan which is targeted by Tahir Yuldashev, the Uzbek warlord, who is hiding in Pakistan today and also operating against Pakistan’s interests.

It is important for Pakistan to become a player in the Central Asia region through trade and trade routes and stand firmly against the export of extremism from its non-state actors. Its geographic location sets it apart from other states of South Asia. It can enhance the importance of Central Asia and become a key regional state in the process.

dailytimes.com.pk

dailymailnews.com

KARACHI: The first ever Panamax cargo ship, Al-Fahdah, berthed at Gwadar deep seaport laden with around 650 metric tonne of dates, said the traders on Wednesday.

With the arrival of Panamax cargo ship at the Gwader deep seaport, the doors are opened for large vessels to arrive in the country, they added. The Panamax ships are the largest ships and are built to carry the maximum amount of cargo.

“The Gwadar deep seaport has proved that it can cater large size cargo ships and it is hoped that more ships carrying wheat and other goods from US and Canada will also be berthed here,” Chief Executive, Pakistan Horticulture Development and Exports Board (PHDEB), Shamoon Sadiq said while talking to Daily Times.

He said PHDEB has finally decided to start work on two of the three modern dates processing plants in collaboration with private sector stakeholders.

He said due to projects’ cost escalation, dollar increase and back out of investors, PHDEB has decided to start construction on one of the plants in Turbat. Under the trade policy three date processing plants will start by year-end one each in Sindh, Balochistan and North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) with a revised cost of Rs 148.6 million, said Shamoon Sadiq, Chief Executive of PHDEB.

“Around Rs 80 million will be incurred on each project as we have already provided land for these projects from respective provincial governments,” Sadiq said.

He said construction of two dates processing plants one each at Khairpur and Dera Ismail Khan at a cost of Rs 80 million each were expected to start within three months. “The projects will be completed within a year while the work on Turbat plant was about to start up-to-the-mark plant, which would be established on public private partnership (PPP) basis” he said.

He said these plants were being built along with cold storage facilities. Pakistan, with an estimated 730 thousand tonnes annual production, ranks fourth in dates production and fifth in its exports around the world.

Under PPP, the Sindh government has provided two acres of land for this purpose. The Sindh government also released Rs 21.946 million from the Export Development Fund (EDF) which would take care of the cost of plant machinery, equipment, vehicles and other civil works.

The Board had set 2009 as a deadline for completion of the Turbat plant, which would produce an estimated 2400 metric tonnes of processed dates during the 150 working days.

The proposed plant would be based on multiple products including pitted and stuffed dates and would increase the level of value addition.

He said the foreign made equipment would be bought from the local market if needed, adding that the Internal Financial Rate of Return of the project was estimated at 21.80 percent, the IERR at 12.30 percent and the benefit cost ratio at 1.08 percent. Presently, the country has 54 date processing units and country is the top dates exporter in the world after exporting more than 90,500 metric tonnes of dates during 2008-09, he added.

He said around 30 countries including China, India, Japan, USA, Canada, European Union were purchasing the country’s date produce.

He said buyers from India, China, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan had shown great interest in making deals for dates.

dailytimes.com.pk

The signing of joint protocol ceremony was held here at a local hotel after the conclusion of two-day 3rd session of Pak-Tajik Joint Economic Commission (JEC). The JEC brainstormed on the issues relating to trade, economic cooperation, scientific and technical cooperation and other fields. Both sides agreed to sign the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) 2009.

Tajikistan offered warehouse facility to Pakistan at Panji Poyon and requested for a reciprocal facility for Tajik business community at Gwadar Port.

Both sides agreed for a speedy implementation of the Electricity transmission line between Tajikistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan— Central Asian Sharing Aid (CASA 1000).

Pakistani side offered training facilities to Tajik Geo-scientists and technicians in the field of instrumental analysis in the geo-science.

Since Tajikistan is a land locked country, it needs access to warm waters for enhancing trade and increasing its exports. To serve this purpose, both sides agreed to facilitate transport arrangements between the two countries through an agreement, which would be finalised soon. They agreed for early finalisation of MoUs on public health, pharmaceutical, cultural exchange program (CEP). Drug trade is a menace, which has become an “international migrane” for the region in particular and for the whole world in general. Governments have been trying hard to fight against this inhumane trade and sharing of information is a key to curbing this menace.

In order to implement the MoU signed between the two countries on combating against

narcotics / drugs, both sides agreed to make arrangements for posting of drug liaison offices in their respective embassies for quick information sharing within one month.

Earlier, Embassy of Tajikistan organised an international seminar on “Hydro Power Projects” in the Republic of Tajikistan for transmission of electricity to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Addressing journalists, Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf said development of CASA 1000 power transmission project and development of a Central Asia–South Asia Regional Electricity Market (CASAREM) is a key objective for the governments of Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan and Tajikistan.

He further said that CASAREM would provide linkage by improving reliability and pooling reserves, reduced investment in power generating capacity, improving load factor and increasing load diversity.

The project would be completed with a cost of $800 million from 2010 to 2013 and would be financed by the World Bank and International Development Bank.

The minister said that President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari would visit Tajikistan soon, which would further cement bilateral ties. Tajik Minister for Power and Industries, Gul Sher Ali, said CASAREM project would enhance trade in energy, develop rules for electricity trading within the countries in the region through regional grid. He further said that it would also promote/share regional know-how in Energy anagement, Infrastructure Regulation. ijaz kakakhel

dailytimes.com.pk

Dream City Gwadar

nation.com.pk

The ambassador said that both the countries have signed about twenty agreements, protocols and memorandums of understanding (MoU’s) to extend cooperation in energy, communications, insurance, investments and industry.

He said that the government of Tajikistan shall be able to assure its electricity requirements by 2009 and will also export to the other countries.

For the advancement of the communication projects, the government has adopted strategy to construct new highways and bridges to link Tajikistan with neighboring countries, he added.

Cherishing brotherly relations between the two nations the Federal Minister Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo said that the Pakistan was one of the first countries who recognized the independence of Tajikistan.

He said that Pakistan was the first country who established diplomatic ties with it and opened Pakistan’s embassy in Dushanbe in 1993.

The minister further said that apart from trade and economic ties, Tajikistan has also spiritual and religious relations with Pakistan.

app.com.pk ]]> http://gwadarcity.info/2009/tajik-ambassador-seeks-business-access-through-pakistani-ports/feed/ 0 http://gwadarcity.info/2009/iran-to-provide-gwadar-port-100mw-free-of-cost/ http://gwadarcity.info/2009/iran-to-provide-gwadar-port-100mw-free-of-cost/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 02:37:10 +0000 admin http://gwadarcity.info/?p=82 ISLAMABAD: Iran has allocated a separate budget for supplying 100 megawatt electricity free of cost to Gwadar Port in Pakistan in order to ease the growing power crisis there.

All the groundwork in this connection has been completed and the power supply would start as soon as Pakistan finalized work on transmission lines, said the Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Mashaallah Shakeri in a meeting with the Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan here Thursday.

The Federal Minister told the ambassador that practical steps should be taken to implement the agreement signed between Pakistan and Iran last year to start bus service between Quetta and Mashad.

The Minister said that Pakistan and Iran shared a long history of friendly relations and underscored the need to enhance mutual cooperation in various sectors of economy. He said that Pakistan was working to develop new communication links with Iran in order to increase its share of trade with the latter.

He informed the Ambassador that a new road connection with Iran through Makran Coastal Highway will be opened soon which he hoped will go a long way in bringing the people of the two countries closer together. He said the opening of the new route will link Gwadar Port with the Iranian Port in Chabahar which he said could bring enormous economic benefits to the two countries. He also hoped that Iran would facilitate Pakistan as a transit to export its commodities to Turkey and offered the government’s full cooperation to the Iranian traders in their efforts to get access to the Chinese markets.

The Ambassador said that his country shared Pakistan’s desire to increase bilateral cooperation in various sectors. He said that Iran wanted to import citrus fruit and vegetables from Pakistan.

He also informed that Iran would soon start a special train service between Zahidan and Mashad for passengers coming from Pakistan. He said that his government was ready to offer Pakistan a soft loan for the construction of Nushki-Dalbandin section on Quetta-Taftan highway. He also proposed for the creation of a joint Pak-Iran shipping company.

The Minister said Pakistan would welcome Iran investment in its road sector and assured him about government’s support in this regard. He also appreciated Ambassador’s proposal for a joint shipping company and said that such a step would benefit the shipping industry in both the countries.

They also agreed on the need for a meeting between the Communication Ministers of the two countries in the near future in order to make progress on these issues. The Minister informed the Ambassador that a formal invitation in this regard would soon be extended to his country.

Secretary Communications Sharif Ahmed, Member Finance Zafar Iqbal Gondal, Member Planning Raja Nowsherwan and other high officials from National Highway Authority were also present on the occasion.

dawn.com ]]> http://gwadarcity.info/2009/iran-to-provide-gwadar-port-100mw-free-of-cost/feed/ 0 http://gwadarcity.info/2009/10-year-tax-holiday-for-gwadar-export-processing-zone/ http://gwadarcity.info/2009/10-year-tax-holiday-for-gwadar-export-processing-zone/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 02:35:40 +0000 admin http://gwadarcity.info/?p=80 ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to provide ten-year tax holidays for Gwadar Export Processing Zone, Federal Minister for Industries and Production announced it during a press conference here on Wednesday.

He was talking with Ambassador of Tajikistan H.E Mr. Zubaydullo Zubaydov, who met him in his office here Monday to discuss the matter of trade development between the two country. Secretary Communication, Sharif Ahmed and Chairman National Highway Authority Altaf Ahmed Choudhry were also present in the meeting.

Minister said government is interested to complete all internal link roads to Gwadar as this road network will strengthen trade activities with neighbor countries. He hopes that neighbor countries would be taken benefit from the Gwadar Port. He said government has already allowed Afghanistan to use this port for their trade activities. Tajikistan and other Central Asian States would also be used this for their trade and business activities for which Pakistan will fully facilitate.

Federal Secretary Communication, Sharif Ahmed in the meeting disclosed that Pakistan is holding an International Conference in November to promote trade and economic activities in this region. More then 100 countries including neighbors and central Asian countries will attend the conference and exchange views relating to economic and trade activities as well as transportation system between the neighbor countries. On the occasion, The Ambassador of Tajikistan, H.E. ZUBAYDULLO ZUBAYDOV has said that Tajikistan is interested to promote trade activities with Pakistan as at present the trade volume between the two countries is very little and it should be enhanced. He said Tajikistan will fully support Pakistan in its plan of road development in Pakistan and border areas lined to Gwadar Port. He disclosed about 35 kilometers metle road has already available at Tajikistan border area to facilitate the transporters, which will be enhanced soon.

He said Tajikistan’s Minister for Communication will visit Pakistan soon to settle the matter of transportation facilities and development of road network from Pakistan to Tajikistan as Tajikistan is playing vital role promotion of trade activities between the Pakistan and CIS countries as Tajikistan is a gate way to Central Asian States.

onlinenews.com.pk ]]> http://gwadarcity.info/2009/gwadar-port-to-be-linked-with-central-asian-states/feed/ 0 http://gwadarcity.info/2009/afghanistan-offered-use-of-gwadar-port-qasim/ http://gwadarcity.info/2009/afghanistan-offered-use-of-gwadar-port-qasim/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 02:31:55 +0000 admin http://gwadarcity.info/?p=76 In return Pakistan seeks access to CARs under new transit trade accord

‘A decision has been taken in principle and the plan is likely to be approved with the next provincial budget,’ sources told Dawn, adding that officials concerned were working on details of the proposal.

‘The decision will have a far-reaching impact on the economy of Balochistan, particularly of Makran,’ the sources said.

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani confirmed that the proposal was being actively considered. ‘If the government takes a final decision to make Gwadar the winter capital of the province, economic activities in the port city will get a big boost,’ he said.

The sources said a bench of the Balochistan High Court would also be set up in Gwadar. They said that Chief Minister Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani, Speaker Aslam Bhootani, the chief secretary and provincial ministers had held several meetings in Islamabad in this regard.

dawn.com ]]> http://gwadarcity.info/2009/gwadar-likely-to-become-balochistans-winter-capital/feed/ 0 http://gwadarcity.info/2009/pakistan-offers-to-import-turkmenistan-gas-through-gwadar/ http://gwadarcity.info/2009/pakistan-offers-to-import-turkmenistan-gas-through-gwadar/#comments Sat, 02 May 2009 02:29:22 +0000 admin http://gwadarcity.info/?p=72 ISLAMABAD (SANA): Pakistan has planned to use Gwadar port for importing natural gas from Turkmenistan.

Special Secretary of Ministry of Oil and Gas G.A. Sabiri while briefing about the visit of advisor petroleum and gas doctor Asim Hussain to Turkmenistan, said that 14 thousand cubic feet reservoirs of gas were verified in Turkmenistan. This can be exported in the whole world through Gwadar port.

During the visit, issue of importing the gas through Gwadar port also came under discussion ‘he added.

sananews.com.pk ]]> http://gwadarcity.info/2009/pakistan-offers-to-import-turkmenistan-gas-through-gwadar/feed/ 0 http://gwadarcity.info/2009/gwadar-port-can-open-immense-opportunities-for-import-export/ http://gwadarcity.info/2009/gwadar-port-can-open-immense-opportunities-for-import-export/#comments Sat, 02 May 2009 02:27:39 +0000 admin http://gwadarcity.info/?p=70 ISLAMABAD, Apr 24 (APP): Adviser to Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain said on Friday that Pakistan offers shortest access to Central Asian countries to the warm waters of Arabian sea and has successfully developed a modern deep sea port at Gwadar,at the mouth of Persian gulf.

During his address to the conference titled “Reliable Transit of Energy and its Role in Stable Economic Development and International Cooperation”, in Ashghabat he said that the Gwadar port can open immense opportunities for the import and export of petroleum and other products which will bring prosperity and the land locked countries,by opening the world markets to them.

He said that “Pakistan is willing to offer opportunities and transit facilities for the import of goods and products,at internationally competitive terms.”

Dr Asim said Pakistan’s historical relations with Turkmenistan are not new as Pakistan was one of the first countries to extend diplomatic recognition to Turkmenistan as an independent state in December 1991.

H said that Pakistan and Turkmenistan share a lot of common history,and have similar culture,traditions and values.

“The bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries in various affairs of the state speak of the trust and confidence we repose in each other”,he added.He hoped that this relationship can turn into a fruitful partnership in the future with mutual benefit to each other and thus help to the world mutually.

Dr Asim Hussain said that Pakistan is a country of about 166 million people,and has witnessed rapid economic growth in the recent years with the GDP growth averaging 6.5 per cent per annum in the last five years.

During 2008,Pakistan’s primary energy demand stood at 62.9 million tons of oil equivalent MMTOE which has grown at an annual compound rate of 6 per cent per annum during the past five years.

He said that during 20008 Pakistan produced nearly 41 billion cubic meters of natural gas,which has grown at annual compound rate of 7.7 pc over the past five years.

He said that at present the country’s natural gas consumption is met by indigenous sources only but it caters upto 50 pc of our total requirement.

To meet this shortfall,gas import projects both liquified and piped are planned and in various stages of development,he added.HE said that Pakistan has developed a vast gas transmission network of nearly 10,000 km which is ideally suited to economically transport large volumes of local and imported natural gas to load centers.

He said that Pakistan’s natural gas demand is rising rapidly and it is expected that it will increase to around 129 BCM per year by 2025,thus offering a huge market to potential gas suppliers including LNG.

Dr Asim said that Pakistan was strategically located south east of Turkmenistan,providing the shortest possible route to the high consumption energy markets in Pakistan and India.

He said that Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI),Gas pipeline project provides an excellent commercial link on top of the historical links that already exist among the regional states.The project envisages the construction of a 33 BCM per year pipeline,traversing through Afghanistan to reach Pakistan and onwards to India.The ADB has conducted a feasibility study,and found the project to be commercially and economically viable.

He said that recently there have been some useful discussions on commercial terms,paying the way for conclusion of agreements.With he recent discovery of huge gas reserves in Turkmenistan,it is expected that the issue of availability and dedication of exploitable gas reserves for the project would also be sorted out,and the project will become a reality in the foreseeable future.

He further said that Pakistan has recently issued its petroleum Exploration and Production Policy which is investor-centric and offers opportunities to investors in exploration and production sector.

app.com.pk ]]> http://gwadarcity.info/2009/gwadar-port-can-open-immense-opportunities-for-import-export/feed/ 0 http://gwadarcity.info/2009/tajikistan-to-be-offered-transit-trade/ http://gwadarcity.info/2009/tajikistan-to-be-offered-transit-trade/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:13:50 +0000 admin http://gwadarcity.info/?p=90 ISLAMABAD ( 2009-04-28 04:48:32 ) akistan is to offer Tajikistan transit trade to and from Pakistan using its ports, warehousing facilities and other communication networks, sources in Commerce Ministry told Business Recorder. Tajikistan’s Ambassador in Pakistan was scheduled to meet Commerce Minister Amin Fahim, last week but the meeting did not materialise due to the Minister’s engagements in the Presidency, sources said.

New date for the meeting is expected to be finalised shortly. “We will offer to Tajikistan transit trade to and from Pakistan using Pakistani ports and means of communications. We may also offer them the warehousing facility for their goods in transit,” sources in the Ministry said.

They said that Pakistan would take up the issue of cotton imports from Tajikistan and would encourage its businessmen to meet its import needs from Tajikistan. In this context, Pakistan would recommend that a Tajik business/private sector delegation should visit Pakistan for one-to-one contacts with Pakistan’s business community. Pakistan is ready to extend all possible assistance/logistic support in this regard, sources added.

They said that Pakistan has also requested Tajikistan to enter into a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) identifying select commodities of interest to the two countries with a view to increasing trade in commodities currently exchanged. This would enable the trading communities of the two countries to make their products more competitive due to preferential tariffs to be agreed through PTA.

Pakistan is organising a mega event (Expo) on annual basis. Tajikistan will be requested to participate in the next Expo which would provide opportunity to buyers to see Pakistan’s potential under one roof. It is pertinent to note that Pakistan is importing only a single commodity–raw cotton–while exporting various commodities.

Another bottleneck in trade between the two countries is excessive requirement of certifications and product registration, source said, adding that Commerce Minister would suggest simplification of procedures for enhancing the trade between the two countries. There are no quantitative restrictions on imports, but there is a list of commodities that can be imported only after the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Economic Relations has examined the contracts.

This list includes trucks, oil and oil products, fertilisers, wheat, flour, rice, tea, sugar and vegetable oil. The list of commodities which need government permission to import include natural gas, uranium and other radioactive substances, narcotic and psychotropic substances, weapons and other military equipment, ammunition cipher equipment, and electric power.

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