GWADAR DEEP SEA PORT “Emergence as regional trade and transportation hub”

Gwadar, which in the local language means “The Gate of Air”. Gwadar is a “symbol of regional peace and prosperity” because it will connect countries around Pakistan to serve their trading interests. Pakistan’s dream of having a deep water port at Gwadar is nearly as old as its existence. Gwadar port is warm water, deep sea port situated on the Arabian Sea at Gwadar in Balochistan province of Pakistan. Gwadar provides access to a port at just 1500 km17 Pakistan, keeping in view its almost significance in the area, has declared ‘Gwadar’ as a Duty-Free Port and a Free Economic Zone. The deep sea port at Gwadar is visualized as becoming a regional hub, serving commercial traffic to central Asian states and Afghanistan, Iran, and Southeast Asia. The development of the Gwadar port holds out for the regional countries immense economic returns and physical infrastructural linkage and an increase in trade volume among the regions of central Asia, South Asia, west Asia, and western China will be mutually beneficial. In this connection, Pakistan’s Gwadar deep sea port has vivid prospects to emerge as regional trade and energy transportation hub. Gwadar is strategically located between three increasingly important regions of the world: oil-rich Western Asia heavily populated South Asia and economically emerging and resource-rich Central Asia. The Gwadar port project is improving living standards and providing increased job opportunities to the people in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan. By extending technical and financial support China has helped Pakistan in translating its dream of the Gawadar port into a reality. Pakistan has planned that the existing fish harbor at Gwadar would be used as a mini-port for cargo handling purposes annexed with the Gwadar deep seaport and to replace the existing fish harbor. The government aims to construct a fish landing jetty and allied harbor facilities at Pishukan, Gwadar. There is no denying the fact that due to its location, Gwadar deep sea port has the potential to become a gateway for Central Asia and Xinjiang.