QUETTA: Federal Minis­ter for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal has said that the federal and provincial governments are jointly making efforts for the socioeconomic development of Balochistan as it holds economic future of Pakistan.

While speaking at the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the establishment of Gwadar shipyard on Tuesday, she said not only ships would be built at the yard, but it would also provide repairing facilities in the region and training facilities would also be available.

She said that this project is of great regional importance strategically and after completion it will not only create employment for the locals, but will boost revenue generation for provincial economy.

She said that in the first phase technical and managerial human resour­ces would come from other areas of the country, but after completion of training locals would be inducted on these posts.

“The project office has been opened in Gwadar and after completion of its feasibility study in two to three years, the construction of the project will be started,” she added.

Chief Minis­ter Jam Kamal Khan said that joint initiatives of federal and provincial governments will usher in a new era of prosperity and economic development in the province.

“Construction of Gwadar shipyard will benefit the business community in general and population of Balochistan as a whole,” he said.“The provincial government is planning to promote tourism in Gwadar, jetty, fish processing units and other projects while the shipyard project will not affect the population,” he said.

Secretary Industry Balo­chistan Hafiz Abdul Majid and Additional Secretary De­­fence Production Ghu­lam Jaffar signed the MoU.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2021