ISLAMABAD (APP): The government must make all out effort to commission Gwadar port, a main component of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and link it with China and Central Asia on priority with involving professionals.
"In One Belt, One Road, the main component is CPEC, CPEC's heart is Gwadar and Gwadar's main component is the Port," said Col (R) F. Maqbool Afridi, an analyst here Friday.
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He opined, "Our leaders should have an economic outlook and become part of the great game of modern economy to bring prosperity to the nook and corner of the country including undeveloped areas."
He said, this process would also address security issues which had been a national dilemma for last many decades, adding, "CPEC can be the most influential integrating factor for the country."
In his article, Maqbool Afridi said, Gwadar was ideally located in the open sea, near the shipping lanes. Beside many other salient, Gwadar had two distinct potentials; one being a natural deep sea port and secondly its geo strategic location.
Gwadar would be the hub of haves and haves not, rich and poor, sellers and buyers. All land routes would converge at Gwadar whether originating from China or Central Asia.
Moreover, it would be linked to the world through sea. Gwadar would become the economic epicenter of the world.
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CPEC provides many advantages to Pakistan due to its geographic location being on the cross roads of natural resources.
All countries in the region were anxious to have shorter access to Gwadar - Pakistan. Pakistan was the only promising bridge between natural resource rich CARs and energy starving India.
China and resource rich Africa/Middle East also need route through Pakistan. In case access was given to these countries for their businesses, whole Pakistan would get cluttered with road networks from East to West and North to South.
The transit trade and trans-shipment from Pakistan soil would generate multibillion dollars' commercial activities at multiple places thus bringing prosperity along with peace.
Seeing the Gwadar potentials, it should be officially written as Golden Gwadar (GG) or Ganjain Gwadar (GG) or in golden letters (Gwadar) or GWADAR with capital words.
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The State Bank should introduce Rs 10,000 note with the impression of Gwadar Port. Besides, Silk Route should be termed as Golden Route as millions of vehicles would move resulting in an unprecedented prosperity to the surrounding areas.
He said, to give impetus to CPEC execution, Gwadar port had to be made operational and joined with Kashgar at priority.
Other related activities e.g. creation of economic zones, setting up of power projects and building road infra structure should be viewed as complementary subjects at this stage.
While developing CPEC, it must be kept in view that CPEC route should be shortest to save time and money as millions of vehicles would ply for centuries, confirming to OBOR spirit.
Railway tracks, oil and gas pipelines staging areas and other facilities should follow the alignment of the main route.
The alignment of the Western trade corridor should be done, while taking into consideration all trade corridors emanating from the West, other than link up with China.
Pakistan's position in the emerging economic road map. Pakistan's geo strategic location alone makes it most blessed and a fortunate country.
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"We have tremendous domestic potentials in agriculture, tourism and trade. Our neighboring environments also suit us for our future economic growth."
India was bustling with population and starving for natural resources. In the West, Afghanistan had untapped natural resources worth trillions of dollars' eager to export through the corridors passing through Pakistan.
Iran itself wanted to engage in wider regional trade and had recently shown keen interest to be a part of CPEC.
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China was exploding with economic growth and want to reach out to the world for economic expansion.
The land locked 40 million sq km of area CARs with 70 million population market was full of natural resources for centuries.
CARs were looking for opportunity to reach out to the world through Gwadar. Indian Ocean offers global sea lanes for mercantile shipping for 90 % of world trade.