Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated a string of development projects in Balochistan including a dam, Gwadar Free Zone Business Complex and a University \u2014 all aimed at mainstreaming the country\u2019s remotest areas. Addressing a ceremony at the inauguration of the development projects here earlier today, PM Nawaz said Gwadar will soon be Pakistan\u2019s most prosperous city. He said the Gwadar Port was an integral part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the city was on its way to becoming an international hub. The prime minister unveiled plaques of projects that included Gwadar Free Zone which would be exempt from taxes for 23 years and cover an area of 2,300 acres. The infrastructure would be completed in a year\u2019s time and is being constructed by China\u2019s Overseas Port Holding Company. He unveiled plaque for a Business Service Complex that would house offices of companies involved in export, import and trade. The building would later house a Container Terminal also.
\nHe also inaugurated a school at Gwadar gifted by the Communist Party of China. It was constructed at a cost of USD 400,000 in a low-income area in six months. PM Nawaz inaugurated the Shadikaur dam, which is 130 km from Pasni and 70 km from Gwadar, with a storage capacity of 45,000 acre feet. Work on the project began in June 2011. The lake covers an area of 1,813 sq km and would meet the irrigation and drinking water needs of the people of the area. The prime minister also unveiled plaque for the University of Gwadar which would provide quality higher education to people from the remotest areas of the country and help them play their part in national development. Highlighting the government\u2019s plans for the city, PM Nawaz said that several projects were underway to cater to energy and drinking water needs of the region.
\nHe said that these development projects would create jobs for 50,000 people. \u201cGwadar is Pakistan and Pakistan is Gwadar,\u201d he said, adding that the projects were expected to be completed as per schedule. Talking about Pakistan\u2019s energy situation, PM Nawaz said that China was playing a crucial role in combating energy crisis in Pakistan. \u201cLoadshedding would be eliminated by 2018,\u201d the prime minister said. PM Nawaz further said that Gwadar was now a peaceful city and lauded National Security Advisor Gen. (Retd) Nasir Janjua\u2019s role in ensuring peace in the region. PM Nawaz Sharif was accompanied by Governor Balochistan Mohammad Khan Achakzai, Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, Gen. (Retd) Qadir Baloch, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Bizenjo, National Security Advisor Gen. (Retd) Nasir Janjua and China\u2019s ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated a string of development projects in Balochistan including a dam, Gwadar Free Zone Business Complex and a University \u2014 all aimed at mainstreaming the country\u2019s remotest areas. Addressing a ceremony at the inauguration of the development projects here earlier today, PM Nawaz said Gwadar will soon be Pakistan\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\n