GWADAR: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said the future of Pakistan belonged to Gwadar emerging as the ‘focal point of development’ and ensuring prosperity for the entire country.
Addressing at the launch of development projects and the signing ceremony of Memoranda of Understanding here in the port city, the prime minister said Gwadar would open up new avenues of opportunities for regional trade.
The prime minister who arrived in Gwadar on a day-long visit inaugurated the first phase of Gwadar Free Zone besides performing the groundbreaking of the its second phase spread at 2,200 acres and opening of three factories.
The prime minister said his vision of an emerging Pakistan was a steadfast nation which was committed to the prosperity of the country.
He said the government was focused on ensuring provision of basic amenities in Gwadar and Balochistan, particularly clean water and electricity to encourage industrialization.
He said the recently announced Rs 730 billion development budget for Balochistan by the federal government was historic, that aimed at uplift of the province and also to mitigate the longstanding deprivation of its people.
“No country can progress unless it mainstreams all its areas and ensure development across the board,” he said, adding that connectivity was one of the major component of the Balochistan package.
Imran Khan said the government was prioritizing development in far-flung areas of Balochistan, northern areas and rural Punjab.
The prime minister mentioned that Gwadar International Airport would encourage regional trade and boost economic activity.
He said one-window operation was in progress to facilitate the investors and urged upon the provincial governments to ensure proper servicing of investors since the subject moved to them after the passage of 18the Amendment.
Imran Khan thanked the government of China for launch of water and solar projects in Balochsitan, particularly in Gwadar.
“Pakistan can benefit from its strategic location and also from the expertise of its friend China, which is the becoming an economic power in the region,” he said.
He also mentioned the technical education provided by China to the youth of Gwadar, which he said, would prove greatly helpful as the foreign investment grew in future.
The prime minister mentioned several initiatives for the uplift of Gwadar including the university, employment under Kamyab Jawan Programme, and the upgradation of the equipment of local fishermen to ensure value addition of their catch.
He said the Prime Minister Office would regularly monitor the progress on the development plans initiated in Gwadar on a monthly basis.
