ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is to invest $10bn in building islands off the port ofGwadar in the shape of the moon and star of the country’s flag, the *DailyTimes* newspaper reportslink.
The project, which is being taken forward by Islamabad in conjunction withthe China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), will be part of thetransformation of Gwadar set out in a 75-page masterplan prepared by CCCCin conjunction with Pakistan’s Ministry of Planning, Development & Reformand the Gwadar Development Authority.
The strategic aim is to create an engine of trade and economic developmentat the southern end of the $62bn China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).The document sets a target of achieving a $30bn powerhouse and creating 1.2million skilled jobs.
The masterplan envisages the creation of 15,800 homes by 2025, 47,600 by2030 and 254,500 by 2050, allowing the population to increase from 138,000in the 2017 census to about 2 million.
That population will have access to a range of amenities, including a themepark, museums, a theatre, a concert hall, an exhibition centre, as well ashotels, shopping centres and offices.
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New infrastructure will include a $5bn investment in 15 power plants, a$1bn desalination plant and Pakistan’s tallest building.
The new district will also be Pakistan’s first “tax free” and “weapon-free”city, a ban that will be enforced by widespread CCTV systems, vehiclemanagement, urban video and alarm networks.
Amanullah Yasinzai, the governor of Baluchistan, said: “This project willbe a game-changer for the people in the region. It will bring a lot ofdevelopment and significantly raise the standard of living of the people ofGwadar. I am hopeful that this project will bring huge employmentopportunities for the youth of Baluchistan.
