ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs on Tuesdayendorsed its sub-committee’s recommendation to make the entire Gwadar citya tax-free zone.
Recommendations were presented in a report by sub-committee convenerSenator Kauda Babar to the Senate panel with Senator Nuzhat Sadiq in thechair. All of the recommendations have been given the green light.
The Senate panel also endorsed the suggestion that investors in Gwadarshould be facilitated like the ones in other special economic and exportprocessing zones.
Senator Babar apprised the chair that the report was formulated after closenegotiations with relevant stakeholders and mentioned all the problems ofthe fishermen and the local community inhabiting Gwadar whereas member ofBalochistan Assembly Jamal Kalmati was also taken onboard.
The report expressed dissatisfaction over the facilities provided at theGwadar Airport and suggested enabling facilities being rendered at otherbig airports of the country.
The report also suggested establishing 300 megawatts (MW) coal power plantin Gwadar on a priority basis.
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It further proposed that railroads, internet service were necessary for thedevelopment of Gwadar Port whereas the issues pertaining to the provisionof potable water and electricity needed to be resolved as there would be noinvestment and development without these facilities.
Senator Shamim Afridi said that the Gwadar Development Authority had bannedinvestment in the city which was hampering development and investments toembark on the port city which should be elevated at the earliest.
Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan opined that floating cage fish farming hadproved to be a fruitful source of fishing whereas Gwadar had the idealterrain for the concept as it was carried out in the sea.
He said the government should collaborate with the Chinese authorities todevise a plan for providing finances to local fishermen’s families, addingthat there were unexplored resources in Gwadar which needed to be exploitedfor the good of the local community as well as the country.
