QUETTA: The Gwadar Port Authority and China Communication Constru­ction Company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the construction of Eastbay Expressway at a ceremony held in Gwadar on Sunday.

Minister of State for Ports and Shipping Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal, Chinese Deputy Minister for Commutation Dai Dongcang, Chinese Consular Gau Chunshi and federal Minister for Commu­nications Saddiq Memon and other senior Pakistani and Chinese officials were present at the MoU signing ceremony.

The 19.5km expressway will cost Rs17 billion.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Iqbal said the expressway would not only connect the Gwadar port with other important roads, but also play an important role in increasing land trade activities of the port.

He said the way China was working on development projects in the country was a great proof of the stronger friendship between Pakistan and China. Thr­ou­gh these development projects, Pakistan was entering a new era of progress and prosperity, he added.

He paid tribute to the Chinese engineers who had sacrificed their lives while working on these projects.

Mr Iqbal said the Gwadar port was an important part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that would prove to be a game-changer for the entire region. “CPEC is bright future of China and Pakistan,” he said, adding that it would not only connect the Gwadar port with the entire region, but also lead to industrial development in Pakistan.

The Chinese deputy minister said the Eastbay Expressway would play an important role in handling cargo through the road. He said the Gwadar port had great importance in the region and would also promote foreign investment in Pakistan.

Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Dostain Khan Jamaldini said the expressway would play an important role in connecting the Gwadar port with other cities of the country.

The Chinese consular and chairman of the China Communication Constru­ction Company also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2017