LAHORE: A seminar on “Gwadar – A deep sea port exploring global opportunities” held here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The participants in the seminar have highlighted the importance of Gwadar port and said it is the region’s most strategically well located port that would be a hub of maritime trade in the whole region. It will attract more investments, which will promote the development of different sectors and contribute to local social economic development, directly or indirectly. Gwadar is bound to change the faith of Pakistan as it is not only a global distribution center but is also a gateway to China and land locked countries of the region.
The LCCI Vice President Nasir Saeed, Chairman China Overseas Ports Holding Company Zhang Baozhong, Chinese Consul General in Lahore Yu Boren, Saiyed Shahzad Sultan and Convener of the Standing Committee Muhammad Anwar spoke on the occasion while former LCCI Presidents Mian Muhammad Ashraf, Mian Anjum Nisar, Shahid Hassan Sheikh, Sohail Lashari, former Vice President Kashif Anwar, Executive Committee Members Abdul Razaq, Mian Zahid Javed, Shahzad Waheed, Tanveer Ahmed and Zafar Mahmood were present on the occasion.
Chairman of China Overseas Ports Holding Company Zhang Baozhong said that Gwadar Port is the product of long term China-Pakistan cooperation. Gwadar Terminal has done a lot of effective and fruitful work. He said that last year in May, we have commenced the commercial containerized service from Gwadar; this service is continuously catering the seafood shipments for Indonesia, China & other Far Eastern countries. He said that there are also a number of cargo ships berthing in the port as well as the throughput increased. He said that Pakistan’s economic performance has improved significantly in the recent years, reflecting a strong commitment and a series of serious efforts undertaken by the government and people of Pakistan. He said that the inception of Gwadar Deep-Sea Port is to further enable economic development of Pakistan over the next decades and beyond. He said that Gwadar has enormous potential from all angles and dimensions for any kind of business activity, whether known or emerging with ever developing technologies. He said that Pakistani government & Armed forces deserve appreciation for the fast pace in the completion of the highways of supporting China-Pakistan Economic Project that will certainly span the breadth and width of Pakistan and in providing a safe and secure pathway for the economic development in the region.
Consul General of China in Lahore Yu Boren said that the global trade is facing challenges and we have already seen the acquisitions and mergers of big players. He said that China-Pak Economic Corridor is an overall cooperation platform with a focus on the long-term development of bilateral cooperation in various fields. “Right now, we are focused on the four major areas of Gwadar Port, energy, transport infrastructure and industrial parks. In addition, under the framework of CPEC, the cooperation on agriculture, science and technology, finance, education, cultural and media exchanges is underway”, Chinese Consul General added.
Vice President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry Nasir Saeed said that Gwadar has huge potential to be developed as a gateway to the economy of Pakistan. Its presence at the convergence of three most commercially important regions of the world i.e. Oil Rich Middle East, Central Asia bestowed with natural resources and South Asia has potential for growth, makes it one of the well placed port for the development of global trade.
Convener of the Standing Committee Muhammad Anwar said Gwadar port is one of the precious treasures bestowed to Pakistan and it would turn Pakistan into a hub of trade and economic activities in days to come. He said that China-Pak Economic Corridor would start a new era of progress and prosperity in the country therefore it should be handled carefully.
The participants of the seminar were of the view that the economic benefits of this project are hard to estimate. China has already promised to invest more than 46 billion dollars in this connection. This project has the potential to work as a big push theory of Economics.
