ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sent a compelling message on inauguration of the Chabahar Port in Iran with assistance of India by sending its Minister for Maritime Affairs Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo to the inauguration ceremony as a goodwill gesture. This is a clear indication that Islamabad has a stake in the Chabahar port and has also designated it as the sister port of Gwadar, which would not only benefit bilateral trade between Iran, India and Afghanistan but it would also boost regional trade.
Eminent CPEC expert Mushahid Hussain Sayed told Pakistan Todaythat Islamabad welcomes the launch of Chabahar port in neighbouring Iran.
“It is a happy augury that Minister for Maritime Affairs Mir Hasil Bizenjo travelled by road from Gwadar to Chabahar to participate in the opening ceremony. Given their proximity, both Gwadar—which is a deep-sea port—and Chabahar have the potential to be sister-ports, as part of the Belt & Road initiative of President Xi Jinping,” he added.
Mushahid added that the visit of Bizenjo to Chabahar follows the landmark visit of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa to Tehran, where the Iranian Supreme Leader supported Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, which is positive for Pakistan-Iran cooperation.
An official in the ministry of foreign affairs told Pakistan Today that in the near future, Chabahar would supplement Gwadar port in terms of regional and global trade.
“Our region has a huge economic potential. Gwadar port alone would not be able to meet the trade volume of the region in the near future. Therefore, Chabahar would supplement Gwadar port,” the official said.
When asked to elaborate, the official said that Asia was rising in the 21st century, as most of its countries in the Asia Pacific region were emerging as major economic giants.