Pakistan needs to build Gwadar as special zone

BEIJING: Chinese scholar Prof. Cheng Xizhong has suggested that whole Gwadar region should be built as a special economic zone, to get its maximum benefits.

In a report published by Gwadar Pro App on Wednesday, he further proposed that there should be preferential policies for whole of the region. Moreover, business and security environment in the region should be improved. Prof. Cheng agreed that Gwadar under the CPEC framework will promote Pakistan's export growth. It's a good wish for a bright future and also an expectation of the whole Pakistani nation.

However, to fully realize this aspiration, the Pakistani government and parties concerned need to make great efforts. He noted Pakistan's government's approval of “Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan”, has set the tone and direction for Gwadar development. The relevant development and construction work will be carried out in three stages, with results to be delivered in 2025, 2035 and 2050 respectively.

The first stage will focus on providing necessary living infrastructure and will be completed before 2025. After that, Gwadar development will gradually focus on the functional infrastructure of port city, including modern loading and unloading facilities, advanced storage and logistics facilities, infrastructure of special economic zone, and airport roads and other transportation infrastructure. Finally, Gwadar will be built into a modern and intelligent port of international standard.

To attain the goal, he added, it is necessary to launch preferential policies and ensure favorable business environment to attract domestic and foreign investments to Gwadar on a large scale, so that Gwadar region can enjoy vitality and prosperity. A developed Gwadar is bound to drive the growth of Pakistan’s export, either domestic made or foreign made, and increase the revenue for Pakistan's finance.