Gwadar set to achieve international recognition as world-class port city, says minister
Pakistan
Ahsan Iqbal praises China's transformative impact on Gwadar development
(Web Desk) – Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has stated that Gwadar would become an internationally acclaimed world-class port city, which would offer tremendous opportunities for its people.
“We hope that Gwadar will become an internationally acclaimed world-class port city, which will have tremendous opportunities for its people,” the minister told a Chinese news agency while applauding the development of Gwadar Port under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Describing Gwadar as a highly significant and strategic port in the region, Iqbal said that China had shown remarkable contribution to the development of different regions of Pakistan, including Gwadar, under the CPEC.
“In Gwadar, we have seen that China not only developed the port facility but also contributed towards socioeconomic development of its people.”
The minister noted that China had established a state-of-the-art modern hospital in Gwadar, providing facilities comparable to those in major cities like Karachi or Lahore.
“Similarly, China has helped set up a technical training institution. It has also assisted poor people with solar panels to provide them electricity and has undertaken other initiatives to improve the lives of local people,” Iqbal said.
“So, we really appreciate that China has contributed immensely to the uplift of Gwadar, but it is just the first steps to go; other ports have a long way to go,” he added.
The minister pointed out that China had also provided scholarships for the youth of Gwadar who were studying in Chinese universities. “So, I think China’s contribution to Gwadar has been very valuable in uplifting the lives of people and the region, and we appreciate it very much.”
The minister also appreciated China for sharing its success, not just with Pakistan, but with other countries as well, to help them improve their infrastructure for socioeconomic development.
Launched in 2013, the CPEC is a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. It serves as a corridor linking Gwadar Port in southwest Pakistan’s Balochistan province with Kashgar in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The project highlights energy, transport, and industrial cooperation in the first phase, while the new phase expands to include fields such as agriculture and livelihood, among others.
