QUETTA: The Balochis­tan government has decided to lift the ban on allotment of plots in the industrial estate of Gwadar.

The allotment of plots was banned by the coalition government of Dr Abdul Malik Baloch after several irregularities in the allotment process were unearthed.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri on Friday.

Senior member of the Board of Revenue Qamar Masood, Finance Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani, Industries and Trade Secretary Noor Muhammad Jogezai, Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Dr Tufail Baloch and other officials were also in attendance at the meeting.

The briefing outlined land allotment of industrial plots in the port city of Gwadar and how the ban imposed was having a negative impact on its development.

The meeting was informed that at present 2,269 small and medium-sized industrial units were available in the Gwadar Industrial Estate for sale.

“The provincial government has spent over Rs419.5 million for developing its basic infrastructure and providing other required facilities in Gwadar,” said Industries and Trade Secretary Jogezai.

CM Zehri directed the officials concerned to lift the ban on allotments of industrial plots in Gwadar with immediate effect.

It was decided that all industrial plots would be henceforth auctioned that would help in making the estate financially sound. “Transparency and participation of the people in the auction should be ensured for better price of the proposed plots,” he said.

Mr Zehri also supported the proposal of the Gwadar Industrial Estate Develop­ment Authority (GIEDA) regarding the expansion of the estate; he stressed the need for more land to be included for industrial development in Gwadar and other areas of the coastal district.

He directed the Board of Revenue to look into the proposal submitted in the meeting. According to him, efforts should be made so that GIEDA, which was established in 2009, becomes financially viable.

“It should not be dependent on government resources and should be a strong autonomous body,” said Mr Zehri, adding that the government would continue to extend all help and cooperation to the authority to aid in its functioning.

With this expansion, the proposed industrial areas of Turbat and Panjgur would also come under the purview of GIEDA.

Mr Zehri also ordered officials to ensure fresh water supply to the estate from the proposed Sawar Dam and from the desalination plant established by the authority many years ago after huge spending.

The meeting was then informed about the future needs of the industrial estate including gas, electricity, water, LNG terminal, power generation using wind, solar and coal, and water desalination plants for which plans were prepared. The PC-I of the project has been dispatched to the Planning & Deve­lopment department with an estimated cost of around Rs1,668 million.

The CM also announced that he would soon undertake a visit to Gwadar.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2016