GWADAR, Jan 11: A group of ambassadors, high commissioners and other diplomats based in Islamabad visited the Gwadar Port on Thursday to ascertain investment opportunities there.

Federal Minister for Communications Shamim Ahmed Siddiqi and officials of the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) briefed the visiting diplomats.

Briefing diplomats, the minister said the area had the potential to become a regional hub of trade and commerce activities and would serve as a link to China and Central Asian republics.

Mr Siddiqi said the government planned to spend $7 billion in the next eight years to improve the road-infrastructure for which a network would be ready by 2014 to link China and South Asian republics through Gwadar. He laid emphasis on a strong and stable Afghanistan for economic benefits.

GDA Chairman Commodore Munir Wahid said the work on Phase-I is complete except for final touches which are expected to complete by March.

The GDA chairman informed the diplomats about a plan to set up a civic centre which would also provide food items at reasonable cost. The centre, he said, would be completed by August 2008.