ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: A five-member team of the Ministry of Communications, led by director-general of ports and shipping, will shortly leave for China to finalize an agreement for the construction of Rs15 billion Gwadar port project, an official told Dawn here on Monday.

The agreement being negotiated with the Chinese government envisages provision of 150 million dollars assistance, part of which would be loan and part would be grant, Communications Secretary Iftikhar Rashid said.

The delegation besides the provision of financial assistance would also discuss the technical and other details for the completion of the project.

The secretary disclosed that a master plan for the construction of Gwadar port and development of the whole area, including roads, shifting of people living in the project area, supply of electricity and gas and linking the area with rail network was also being prepared.

He said the government of Balochistan had already hired Nespak for preparing a master plan.

The construction of Gwadar coastal highway had already begun from both sides and work on a stretch of 200 kilometres had been completed.

Earlier the secretary chaired a meeting, which was also attended by Chairman of the Gwadar Development Authority Admiral Sarfraz Khan, Project Director of the Gwadar Port Project, Commodore P.A.Khan, and Director-General of Port and Shipping, M.B. Rind.

The meeting noted that the initial work for the construction of Gwadar port has begun which will have a deep sea port with three berths.

Admiral Sarfraz Khan apprised the meeting that Gwadar port could easily be linked to Iran and Afghanistan while China and Central Asian states could also benefit from the project.

He said there was a proposal to link Gwadar port with the Indus Highway at Ratodero that would facilitate trade transportation with China, Central Asian states and Afghanistan.