ISLAMABAD: Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has said Gwadar is being developed as a future key export hub for Africa
He was talking to Rwanda’s High Commissioner Harerimana Fatou in Islamabad.
Junaid Anwar Chaudhry emphasized that their goal is to access the East African market, which consists of five hundred million consumers. He also mentioned that the new maritime corridors are expected to reduce trade costs by up to thirty percent. Karachi-Djibouti route, in particular, will lead to a significant reduction in delivery times.
Junaid Chaudhry also pointed out that the Karachi-Mombasa route will further strengthen regional integration.
The High Commissioner said the improved connectivity would boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
Earlier, Pakistan’s maritime sector recorded a profit of Rs100 billion ($360 million) in 2025, marking its strongest financial performance to date, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said while presenting the ministry’s annual performance review.
Describing the year as a turning point for the sector, the minister said the performance was driven by more than two dozen initiatives covering legislation, digitization, infrastructure development and human resource reforms.
“These reforms are modernizing ports, shipping and fisheries to unlock the true potential of the blue economy,” Chaudhry said.
He noted that Pakistan aligned its maritime regulatory framework with international standards, including conventions of the International Maritime Organization and the Hong Kong Convention on ship recycling. A key step in this process was the finalization of the National Maritime Policy, which brings shipping, ports, fisheries and maritime security under a single framework to guide long-term, sustainable growth.
According to the minister, the federal cabinet also approved a National Shipping Policy aimed at expanding the Pakistan-flagged fleet to reduce reliance on foreign carriers, which he described as a longstanding drain on foreign exchange.
Stakeholder consultations were completed on the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, which targets annual seafood exports of $2 billion and the creation of nearly two million jobs across coastal areas and allied industries.
