ISLAMABAD – Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment AbdulRazak Dawood has said Gwadar port would provide huge opportunities to theenergy rich Central Asian Countries and Afghanistan for regional tradeconnectivity.
Talking to APP in an exclusive interview here, adviser Abdul Razak Dawoodsaid that government was prioritizing the economic integration to promoteregional trade and connect the regional important trade players with thedeep sea port Gwadar.
Replying to question, he said that Central Asian Republic (CARs) aredemanding to providing them trade facilitation in Gwadar and Bin Qasim seaport for international and regional trade and providing them the facilityof the warehouse.
Adviser said Deep Sea Port of Gwadar has its own Geo-Strategic and economicimportance which was located at the centre of regional connectivity and apossible railway link from Gwadar to Kandhar and other parts of Afghanistan.
He said Central Asia via Afghanistan can become a key trade andtransportation route for the entire region.
Razak Dawood said that Pakistan was actively participating in regionalforums of Central Asia Economic Cooperation (CAREC) and QuadrilateralTraffic in Transit Agreement (QTTA) so that maximum benefits could be takenwhen the Gwadar Port operates at full capacity in near future.
Government of Afghanistan has requested Pakistan to provide Cross-StuffingFacility at Gwadar Port, he said.
He informed that when modalities are finalized by the Federal Board ofRevenue (FBR), ample employment opportunities will be generated for thelocals.
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He said development of Gwadar Port under China-Pakistan Economic Corridors(CPEC) would provide more opportunities to establish new industries as hugeinvestment has been pouring in under CPEC and it will also provide theshortest possible route to the goods in transit.
He said that with the improvement in Trans-shipment facilities at Gwadar,the whole dynamics of the regional connectivity would be changed.
The Adviser said that Gwadar was at strategic location giving China andCentral Asia an access to the Gulf Region and the Middle East.
He said that in future, it would be a main Sea-gate for the Central Asia.It would also become easy to send products from Xinxiang and Central Asiancountries to other regions, he said.
Replying to another question, he said that this port was likely to reducetransport time for goods from Gwadar to Western China and the Central AsianRepublics by 60% to 70%.Razak Dawood said that all possible steps are being taken by the Ministryof Commerce, in coordination with other stakeholders, to provide modernfacilities at Gwadar Port so that goods clearance time may be reduced asper the set international standards.
