ISLAMABAD, Feb 25: The Senate Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping on Monday underlined the need for overcoming deficiencies and removing hurdles to make the Gwadar Port a regional hub by attracting the transit and trans-shipment trade.

The committee, which met here with Senator Gulshan Saeed in the chair, discussed in detail the Gwadar Port project.

The committee expressed its concern over the delay in making the port fully operational and directed the ministry to streamline its efforts and remove hurdles to make the port functional.

It suggested that road and rail connectivity with the port should be completed as soon as possible in order to connect it with other parts of the country.

Members of the committee were of the view that a developed road and railway network would help generate business activities in the area, thereby paving the way for improved socio-economic conditions for the people of the area.

The committee noted that although the operation of the port was assigned to the Port of Singapore Authority by an agreement, no significant development had been made so far. A three-member sub-committee consisting of Senators Dr Abdul Malik (convener) and Syed Javed Ali Shah and Dr Mohammad Ismail Buledi was constituted to look into the issues which had prevented the port from becoming fully operational.

The committee noted with regret that electricity had not been provided to the port to carryout its routine activities, and directed the ministry to take up the issue at an appropriate level as the power produced by generators increased the cost of the project. The committee decided that senior officials of the National Highway Authority, Railways and electricity would be summoned in its next meeting to ascertain the position with a view to expediting the work on road network, railway link and power supply to the port which would help in making it fully operational.

The committee opposed a proposal to recruit more officials for the port, saying it would be a burden on the national exchequer and suggested that recruitment should be made when the port became fully operational.

Earlier, Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral M Ehsan Saeed stated that all port infrastructures had been completed and work on the housing complex was in progress. He said that several other projects were under consideration.

Member of the committee were glad when informed that the first ship would arrive at the port in mid-March.