Gwadar, an important component of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has made huge progress when it comes to port operation and port economy. According to plan Gwadar would become the logistic hub in this region within 5 years. There was no single commercial shipping line connecting Gwadar port for the past 10 years, and the port merely relied on government diverted cargo with huge subsidize road transport. But things have changed since COPHC took over the port and got infrastructures improved, especially when Afghan transit cargo starting processed through Gwadar port on January 14, 2020.
In spite of the negative pandemic impact to business development, more than 100,000 metric tonnes of Afghan cargo have been handled at the port. LPG ships and bulk cargo vessels can be seen coming frequently. All these activities not only generated a lot of business opportunities for Pakistani stevedoring companies, transporters, customer clearance and many others, but also helped stabilize supply to Afghanistan and other landlocked countries in Middle Asia. Gwadar Free Zone is the first modern industrial park in Pakistan and up to now 46 enterprises have been registered for investment in Free Zone, mainly covering logistic, warehousing, Halal food processing, agriculture, textile, etc. Right now, Gwadar Free Zone Phase-1 had been successfully completed, while work on the much larger Phase–2 covering an area of 2,221 acres had been started. More and more investors are showing keen interest in investing here.
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) reached an important milestone on November 13, 2016 by starting of the first shipment of trade cargo from Gwadar Port to international destinations. Five years on, Gwadar Port is heading to 2022 with hope, determination and achievement. For those who have visited it before, they do realize that there has been a lot of development here.
The development of economy relies a lot on people, and it also empowers people to lead a better life. Education, first of all, is the foundation. China-Pakistan Gwadar Faqeer Middle School, donated by China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD), has been in operation for 5 years with the sponsorship of COPHC. Now this school is one of the best schools in Gwadar. More than 700 boys and girls are attending school to receive education. After the school has been made the locals got more development programs, and real estate and businesses have increased.
Actually almost 90% of our local staff are only capable of, maybe, the watching job when they first came here and there are not too many schools nor too many technical agencies in Gwadar. As a big achievement, the construction of China Aid Technical & Vocational Institute of Gwadar Port Project was completed on October 1, 2021. Gwadar Garments Factory provides more and more opportunities to Gwadar’s less-educated, unemployed, local females so that they become employed and breadwinners, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. A healthy economy depends on healthy people. China-Pakistan Friendship Hospital, the under-construction hospital, is crucial for the provision of advanced medical services for the locals.
In 2018, COPHC launched a large-scale tree-planting program, aimed to enhance Gwadar’s afforestation and improve the local’s living environment. They have established a plant tissue culture laboratory and a greenhouse to conduct the research, breed and planting of non-wood forest plants here and try to bring more benefits to the local people.
