BEIJING: Once a small backward fishing town off the Arabian Sea in thesouthwest Balochistan province, Gwadar now is rising fast in the economiclandscape of the country and is attracting more businessmen by offeringnumerous business opportunities.
The deep-water port became fully functional in late 2016 under theChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor and welcomed its first liner in March2018, China Daily reported on Monday.
According to the port’s operator, China Overseas Ports Holding Company,some 20 companies in different businesses have already joined the Gwadarfree trade zone with direct investment of around $460 million.
Planning to open a fast food chain restaurant in Gwadar, Muhammad Umair, anAmerican of Pakistani origin, heard about the rise of Gwadar a lot frommedia as well as from his friends in Pakistan.
“So, I conducted a survey and decided to establish an internationalfast-food chain restaurant in Gwadar,” Umair said recently during hisbusiness visit to Gwadar.
Umair migrated to the United States in 1996 and now is the owner of acouple of pizza restaurants and a superstore in Houston, Texas.
“I chose Gwadar because it is a growing port city with enormousopportunities which can give me good earnings.
This restaurant will be a start. I have the plan to invest in otherbusinesses also. It might be a factory,” said Umair, who looked veryoptimistic after visiting the modern port and other ongoing developmentprojects in Gwadar.
The development of Gwadar is laying a strong infrastructural foundation forfuture development as well as creating new employment and businessopportunities. The continuous progress through swiftly completed projectshas increased Pakistanis’ trust in Gwadar.
Dostain Jamaldini, chairman of the Gwadar Port Authority, said that “withthe development of the port, a number of business people are showing theirinterest to start their new businesses in Gwadar. China has helped usdevelop port as well as the city. As a result, the businesses of locals areflourishing”.
Gul Zamir, who first migrated from Punjab province to the US in 2010 to runa business but returned home after one year when he failed to adjustabroad, has been running a real estate and construction business in Gwadarsince 2014.
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“Upon my return, I didn’t know what to do, but finally, a friend guided meto Gwadar and I started a construction business in partnership with a localpartner. Now, I am very happy with my work,” said Zamir, who is alsoplanning to establish a private college in the city of Gwadar.
Zamir said he was very disappointed when he first reached Gwadar, but heremained persistent and, finally, opportunities started knocking on hisdoor.
“There was nothing near my office except a poor road and several shabbyhouses. But now, a large number of modern houses have been built on bothsides of the fully carpeted road,” Zamir said, talking about the big changein Gwadar.
“More and more people are coming to Gwadar for investment and forbusinesses, which is boosting my construction business.”
The rapid development has also caused a surge in Gwadar’s population. Ithas increased from some 85,000 in 2007 to around 140,000 currently. Seeingthe influx of a big number of people in Gwadar, the telecom companies havealso started upgrading their services there and now people enjoy the speedy4G mobile connections.
Khurram Khan, another businessman from Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore,shifted to Gwadar in 2014 on his father’s advice and started his ownbusiness as a supplier of construction material.
Khan said his father urged and facilitated him to start the new venture,saying “it would be good for your future” and the senior’s words have cometrue. “It has been proven right as my business is picking up day by day.”
Chinese companies have changed Gwadar within a short period. People can nowsee a well-developed port, business center, free zone, water desalinationplant, improved health and education facilities, a change which is laying afoundation for Pakistan’s prosperous future, said Khan. – APP
