"Today, I see every path to [Pakistan's] economic stability lead out of Balochistan," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said as he announced plans for the construction and expansion of dams in Gwadar at a political rally in the city on Thursday.
"It has been my dream to see Gwadar transform into a developed port city," the premier said.
"Today, Gwadar has started on the road to success, and I am proud."
"I believe I am the first prime minister of Pakistan to stay the night in Gwadar. This is my love for Gwadar, its people and for Balochistan," he added.
"A web of roads is being built, and Gwadar is being connected to the rest of the country," Sharif said, adding that roads with a total length of 1,100 kilometres were also being built within the city.
"We have built roads in areas where there was terrorism. The Frontier Works Organisation has completed that work and I am grateful to them. They have sacrificed their lives to build these roads," Sharif said.
"When roads are made, success follows; schools are built, colleges are built, hospitals are built," he said, adding that, "Industries are established when roads are built and progress and prosperity flourish."
“I have empowered your leaders and I want them to lead the way and I will facilitate them,” Sharif said as he promised the people of Gwadar a “chance to reap the benefits of the area.”
The premier noted, however, that “outsiders” had bought land in the province at the “price of peanuts” and the residents of the city had not benefitted from any progress in the area. To remedy this, the prime minister said he will be working with the chief minister of Balochistan to “come up with a plan to bring the benefits of the area to the people.”
During his address, the prime minister also announced plans to build a 300-bed hospital in the city with Chinese help. He added that land had also been bought for a university.
Sharif also announced that desalination plants will be set up in Gwadar to provide clean water to the local people, and that Rs5 billion had been allocated to the project.
“This project would have taken too much time if we waited for CPEC, so the federal government and the provincial governments will start work on these projects and ensure that the people of Gwadar are provided clean drinking water.”
Comments (21) Closed
GWADAR is Pakistan Future no doubt about it but it needs serious work as sleeping one night in Gwadar will not change the ground realities lot is needed to be done. I do give credit to this government for keeping Gwadar and Baluchistan little higher in priorities
What Gawadar and Balochistan actually deserve is far more than what you have announced for the deprived people.
Bet on NS to borrow a page from Donald Trump to distract people from pressing problems and his failures. While the nation as a whole is sinking deeper under the burden of debt, he's making bold claims about Baluchistan.
What has Govt done to safeguard the locals in CPEC? I am not against CPEC, it's a great project for Pakistan but we could have evolved as a skill ready nation at the end of this project, rather we are just being the bystanders of the Project completion. There is no mention of keeping minimum Pakistanis under the plethora of Companies being made under CPEC. The managers, the workers the labours the security the vehicles all are coming from China. There should have been a minimum percentage of Pakistanis as a must in these newly formed firms but instead China is exploiting the relaxations or negligence in other words of our Govt to protect the rights of its own people first. The existing Chinese companies are firing local staff as relaxations granted under CPEC are more viable to keep Chinese staff, as all the money they earn from here will go back to the place of origination. This is indeed a sad state of affairs and I hope the Govt wakes up to the situation before the project packs up.
Make such announcements faster and louder.
Elections are approaching, Mr. Prime Minister !
Good job PM. Keep it up. Future of Gowadar & entire Balochistan is bright.
Thank you Musharraf for building Gwadar port.
Love you Baluchistan. This big part of Pakistan is totally empty. We can build hundreds of cities on this land.
Naya Pakisatan?
Borrowing way more than you can repay.......will not result in economic stability.
NS I am sure you will survive till 2018 elections. Because you have closed all the outstanding case against yourself. It is good you have restarted on Pakistan's economy.
Roads, Roads and more Roads but nowhere to run.
CPEC starts from Gilgit and ends at Gawadar. People of both areas are not getting any benefit - rather all benefits are concentrated in Punjab only.
@Karachi wala Just an innocent question why Karachi is different from Sindh? What made Dubai, Singapore, Hongkong economic powers? Let me enlighten you answer is simple PORT and this time PORT is in GWADAR that is not PUNJAB so be patient. And no port can function without proper connectivity so no matter how this road will be aligned its start point will be Gwadar and end point GILGIT? If you have some time just try to locate Gwadar on map and you will come to know that it is the western most district of Makran coast bordering Iran so it means government had to develop all the Makran coast to make GWADAR port operational. So do Punjab bashing no issue but just keep this very fact in mind that port is where it is geographically and it is little bigger thing
@Karachi wala because your mayor failed to spend the budget right.
@IMTIAZ ALI KHAN would you please advise when construction of gawadar port was started how much work was completed during 8 years of Musharaf?
Dear PM, please invest on people if you really want them progress
@Sajjad kamran And he will 'WIN'
@Karachi wala Get off this Punjab bashing, this port is in Baluchistan and Punjab has no special because of it. The current condition of Karachi is due to the people you have voted for. MQM is in the local government for almost 25 years. They were also part of the federal government From 88 till 2013. There is nobody to blame but your own local government and the provencial government. I'm from Lahore but I love every city in Pakistan including Karachi the same.
Good initiatives by P M Nawaz. Baluch Youth must grab the opportunities and make a resounding success of the facilities provided to them by the PM. Baluch Youth must ensure they develop their job hiring skills to be employed, as tremendous opportunities, will come their way, with the development of Gwadar at breath taking pace. Baluch Youth must foil the designs of the " Spoilers and Saboteurs " who want " No Peace, doom and destruction ", these are the enemies of Baluch Youth, who do not want them to get educated and prosper. In fact they want to subjugate the Baluch, so they can continue to rule and bully them.
The only path this PM does not see is the path that says 'EXIT'. What a sad reality that when people need schools and hospitals, they are given highways and industries. How in the world you can provide stability without basic education and healthcare?
Good news,better announcement of Projects and their implementation in time by PM in Gawadar is praiseworthy.But why nothing for education in nearest District of Panjgur,Awaran,Turbat as Schools needs facilities,in Colleges the teaching staff in Girls Degree Colleges do nt have remuneration for three years.some billions from CPEC Billions should be allocated for the Education in Whole Makran Division.