March 18, 2003	Tuesday	Muharram 14, 1424

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QUETTA, March 17: Balochistan’s Communications Minister Agha Faisal Dawood has offered construction of the 10km road linking Gwadar port with the Coastal Highway along the shore at low rates.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday at his residence, he said the Chines ambassador, who recently visited the port, had said that the offer would be considered seriously.

He said he had visited Gwadar with the ambassador and suggested that for avoiding dislocation of people, the road should be constructed along the shore.

He said that after change in the site of the road, there would be no need of shifting the people from the city and the government could save the amount which would have to paid as compensation to them.

He said he had offered that the provincial government was ready to construct the road along the shore from the port to the Coastal Highway on less rates than other organizations.

He said the National Highway Authority and the FWO were constructing roads at Rs20 million to Rs23 million per kilometre while the department was doing the job at Rs2 million to Rs3 million per kilometre.

Agha Faisal said that if the offer was accepted, the project would be included in the next year’s Annual Development Programme and funds would be arranged for it.

He said that during the visit, the ambassador had agreed to provide 400 jobs to the local people of which 50 per cent would be given to the people of Gwadar.

He said the ambassador had offered that his government was ready to send local people to China for two month’s training.

The minister said he had suggested to the envoy that a hospital and a school shou-ld be constructed in Gwadar for 2,000 Chinese workers engaged in the port’s construction.

He said the facilities would also benefit the local people.

He said China had agreed to use Pakistani cement, petrol, diesel, steel and other construction material in the building of the port.