{"id":20077772,"date":"2021-08-11T00:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-10T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thethirdpole.net\/?p=77772"},"modified":"2024-06-25T18:03:16","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T17:03:16","slug":"pakistan-gwadar-port-long-way-from-trade-hub-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/business\/pakistan-gwadar-port-long-way-from-trade-hub-vision\/","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan\u2019s key CPEC port a long way from trade hub vision"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There are big plans for Pakistan\u2019s southern coastal city of Gwadar. Pakistan and China are making a considerable effort \u2013 and pledging close to USD 700 million in investment \u2013 to transform what was once a sleepy fishing town into a vibrant trade hub, complete with a seaport, airport, major road connections and a trade zone. But the pace of development is slow, and business even slower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c[It] must be because they [the developers] do not have the blessings of the people of Gwadar,\u201d said Abdul Rasheed Isa, a fisher of the Khulgari Ward settlement in the port city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-map-embed block--map-embed\"><div class=\"block--map-embed__column\"><div class=\"block--map-embed__embed aspect-ratio--16-9\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/embed?mid=1904DnJ9eEOnbYMrIPd7E39KOGg_dsY42\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe><\/div><div class=\"block--map-embed__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--map-embed__caption\">Located in the southwestern province of Balochistan, Gwadar is a natural hammerhead-shaped peninsula (Image: Zofeen T Ebrahim \/ The Third Pole \/ Google My Maps)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A visit in April this year revealed that the only real activity at Gwadar port was undertaken by two small crabs, which had made a gargantuan effort to haul themselves up from the crystal-clear water of the Arabian Sea onto the dock. The towering blue and red cranes, brought there to load and unload shipping containers, were still.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The port is the crown jewel of the USD 62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which connects China\u2019s western Xinjiang province to the Arabian Sea. It is where both countries hope the logistics of incoming and outgoing cargo will be handled for an international market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-accordion block--accordion\"><span class=\"block--accordion__title\">What is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)?<\/span><div class=\"block--accordion__content\"><div class=\"block--accordion__content__inner\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Gwadar port dream started in 2013, when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brecorder.com\/news\/399768\">a little-known<\/a> state-owned company, the China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC), acquired the port for 40 years on behalf of Pakistan. About 90% of the port\u2019s revenue is contracted to go to the Chinese company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On paper, the port\u2019s potential is promising. At present, it has space to berth two or three large ships with a capacity of 50,000 <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Deadweight_tonnage\">deadweight tonnage<\/a>. By 2045, it is expected to berth 150 ships and hold up to 400 million tonnes of cargo. According to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gwadarport.gov.pk\/about%20us.aspx\">Pakistani government<\/a>, a functional Gwadar port, the country\u2019s third deep sea port, will meet the \u201cincreasing demand for trade\u201d that the existing Karachi and Qasim ports are \u201cunlikely to keep pace with\u201d on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though parts of Gwadar have had a visible facelift, the lives of its 265,000 residents, the majority of whom are poor fishers, have barely improved. In some cases, the construction of these projects has added to their problems. Most struggle with access to basic necessities such as electricity and have limited options for education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slow business coupled with delays to major CPEC projects in Gwadar \u2013 such as the main expressway road, coal power station and new airport \u2013 could mean that their lives are unlikely to improve any time soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/GPA1-scaled-e1628534878355.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/GPA1-scaled-e1628534878355-768x498.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/GPA1-scaled-e1628534878355-1024x664.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/GPA1-scaled-e1628534878355-1400x908.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/GPA1-scaled-e1628534878355.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 1913px\" alt=\"A picture of the Gwadar port area in April 2021, Zofeen T Ebrahim\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">A picture of the Gwadar port area in April 2021. At present, it has space to berth two or three large ships, but when The Third Pole visited the cranes that unload shipping containers were still. (Image: Zofeen T Ebrahim)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/GPA1-scaled-e1628534878355.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"276 KB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1241\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"1913\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1606042836291-e1628534975255.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1606042836291-e1628534975255-768x464.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1606042836291-e1628534975255-1024x619.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1606042836291-e1628534975255.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 1280px\" alt=\"The quiet dock at the Gwadar port area, Shabbir Ahmed)\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The quiet dock at the Gwadar port area (Image: Shabbir Ahmed)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1606042836291-e1628534975255.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"145 KB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"774\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"1280\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-an-idle-port\">An idle port<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Naseer Khan Kashani, the chair of the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), which oversees construction and maintenance, outlined the problem with a frank admission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite Gwadar\u2019s \u201cstrategic positioning\u201d as one of the \u201cbest deep sea ports\u201d at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, which facilitates the movement of \u201cone-third of global oil every year\u201d, he said the port has failed to bring business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is ready for anyone to use. It\u2019s up to investors and traders to use it to do profitable business. We cannot trade for them,\u201d said Kashani, adding that the creation of demand is \u201cup to the market forces\u201d. Incentives such as competitive handling charges, improved security and safety of cargo at the port and also during transport, speedy customs clearance and free storage for up to three months have failed to beckon traders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-accordion block--accordion\"><span class=\"block--accordion__title\">What is the Gwadar Free Zone (GFZ)?<\/span><div class=\"block--accordion__content\"><div class=\"block--accordion__content__inner\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Kashani said factory owners and traders in Faisalabad and Lahore have shown interest in the GFZ, and that the tax exemptions and concessions introduced in September 2019 will \u201ctrigger economic activity\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet <a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\">The Third Pole<\/a>\u2019s visit revealed very little activity was happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only 24 hectares of the 9,200-hectare site were termed \u201coperational\u201d, according to Kashani. There were buildings, sheds and godowns (warehouses) on the land, but no people in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour impression is incorrect,\u201d insisted Zhang&nbsp;Baozhong, the chair and chief executive of COPHC, when asked about the lull in activity by <a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\">The Third Pole<\/a>. \u201cA lot of progress has been made. Over 1,000 locals are employed at the port as well as the Gwadar Free Zone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zhang&nbsp;said that since last year, every month up to 5,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas from Qatar and Oman reaches Gwadar and is transported upcountry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe port is actively engaged in transit trade for Afghanistan [too],\u201d said Zhang, adding that \u201cup to 30-50 containers are being shipped to the port every month.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-pull-quote block--pull-quote\"><div class=\"block--pull-quote__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"block--pull-quote__quote\">[Gwadar port] is ready for anyone to use. It\u2019s up to investors and traders to use it to do profitable business. We cannot trade for them.<\/blockquote><cite class=\"block--pull-quote__cite\">Naseer Khan Kashani, Gwadar Port Authority<\/cite><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>But within the GPA corridors, there are whispers of disenchantment with the Chinese company, which is responsible for bringing the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAccording to the agreement with GPA, marketing was COPHC\u2019s responsibility,\u201d said an employee, who asked to remain anonymous. \u201cThey are doing a lot of corporate social responsibility, opening a school here, a hospital there, but we don\u2019t see the real work for which they are here,\u201d he said, visibly irritated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-infrastructure-still-missing\">Infrastructure still missing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason for the slow pace in trade is not just poor marketing. Gwadar still does not have power, water, road connectivity, internet and cellular networks or gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When visiting the port in early July, Prime Minister Imran Khan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1633343\">highlighted<\/a> \u201ccommon issues such as supply of water, electricity and gas, and connectivity with other areas\u201d as responsible for the lack of progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike Karachi and Qasim ports (also in Karachi), whose infrastructure expanded as they became major global freight hubs, little development had happened in Gwadar before the CPEC project\u2019s launch in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zhang and Kashani acknowledged that infrastructure was a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is bound to affect our work at the port and the GFZ,\u201d said the COPHC chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe [cellular] connectivity issues need to be overcome, so investors come here and do not turn to Oman or Dubai,\u201d said Kashani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-pull-quote block--pull-quote\"><div class=\"block--pull-quote__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"block--pull-quote__quote\">The [cellular] connectivity issues need to be overcome, so investors come here and do not turn to Oman or Dubai<\/blockquote><cite class=\"block--pull-quote__cite\">Naseer Khan Kashani, Gwadar Port Authority<\/cite><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>But even if the port overcomes these connectivity challenges within its boundaries, it will still not be able to increase trade until more roads beyond Gwadar are constructed. Moreover, air connectivity will not happen<a href=\"https:\/\/dunyanews.tv\/en\/Pakistan\/484598-PM-Imran-performs-ground-breaking-of-New-Gwadar-International-Airport\"> <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/dunyanews.tv\/en\/Pakistan\/484598-PM-Imran-performs-ground-breaking-of-New-Gwadar-International-Airport\">before 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem is exacerbated by the lack of power supply, which Zhang said was the most \u201ccrucial component\u201d for the establishment of industries inside the GFZ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At present, the GFZ is running on increasingly expensive diesel fuel generators, he said, adding that the timely completion of the power station would \u201cboost the confidence of foreign and local investors\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-coal-again\">Coal again<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Zhang was referring to the construction of <a href=\"http:\/\/cpec.gov.pk\/project-details\/5\">two 150-megawatt coal-fired power plants<\/a> at Karwat, about 40 kilometres from Gwadar. At a price tag of USD 540 million, this coal project approved during the previous government will be executed by China Communications Construction Company, which is awaiting a nod <a href=\"http:\/\/cpecinfo.com\/300mw-gwadar-coal-power-project-awaiting-eccs-approval\/\">from Pakistan\u2019s top economic decision-making body<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1452914\">provincial government\u2019s reservations<\/a> to the power plants, which will burn imported coal, a No Objection Certificate was coughed up by the Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency, and the tariff consumers will pay for the power agreed upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though the <a href=\"http:\/\/cpec.gov.pk\/project-details\/5\">groundbreaking<\/a> of the coal plants took place in 2019, officials are reluctant to talk about them. This could be in part because in December 2020 Imran Khan\u2019s government <a href=\"https:\/\/ieefa.org\/pakistani-prime-minister-says-country-will-not-approve-any-new-coal-fired-power-plants\/\">announced to the world<\/a> that the country would scrap any new <a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/tag\/fossil-fuels\/\">coal power plants<\/a>, especially those run on imported fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"wp-block-cd-related-news alignright block--related-news loading\" data-post-id=\"20062793\"><div class=\"block--related-news__image\"><\/div><div class=\"block--related-news__content\"><span class=\"block--related-news__heading\">Recommended<\/span><span class=\"block--related-news__title\"><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, Malik Amin Aslam, special assistant to the prime minister on climate change, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1619813\/pakistan-will-shift-to-60pc-clean-energy-by-2030-world-assured\">assured<\/a> the international community during the US-led Earth Day virtual summit that Pakistan would shift to 60% clean energy by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c[The Karwat power station] was agreed upon by the previous government,\u201d Kashani said, shifting the blame. However, according to the <a href=\"http:\/\/cpec.gov.pk\/project-details\/5\">CPEC website<\/a>, the GPA is one of the supervising agencies of this project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-east-bay-and-gwadar-s-underbelly\">The East Bay and Gwadar\u2019s underbelly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Past the Shahi Bazaar, on the East Bay where the port lies, is a fishers\u2019 settlement called the Khulgari Ward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It opens into the vast expanse of the sea. The port can be seen on the far right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1596617767088-scaled.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1596617767088-768x396.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1596617767088-1024x527.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1596617767088-1400x721.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1596617767088-1800x927.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1596617767088-scaled.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"Aerial view of Gwadar port, Shabbir Ahmed\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">An aerial view of Gwadar port, with the docks on the right and old city visible to the left (Image: Shabbir Ahmed)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/mmexport1596617767088-scaled.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"574 KB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1319\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In the months prior to <a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\">The Third Pole<\/a>\u2019s visit, the construction of<a href=\"http:\/\/cpec.gov.pk\/project-details\/32\"> the <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/cpec.gov.pk\/project-details\/32\">Eastbay Expressway<\/a>, a major road connecting Gwadar to the main highway, had been right at the doorstep of this settlement. It has also affected two adjacent housing colonies, the Baloch and Guzarwan wards. The expressway has blocked these communities\u2019 access to the sea on the East Bay side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Khulgari settlement is a shockingly dilapidated sight. Stray dogs scavenge through huge heaps of rubbish and open sewers swarm with mosquitoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cRoad construction has damaged three septic tanks, and now the entire area is filled with leaked sewage from the tanks,\u201d said Haji Anwar Umar, a resident of Khulgari Ward. He pointed to the piles of garbage and pools of sewage. \u201cEarlier, the colony\u2019s garbage went straight into the sea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The authorities view the road as a critical part of Gwadar\u2019s accessibility, as it connects the port and its free zone with the network of national highways to transport goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The USD 168 million, 19 km, four-lane road, \u201cwhich can be expanded to six lanes\u201d will be sufficient to convey port activity for many years, according to Kashani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Under-construction-East-Bay-Expressway-scaled.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Under-construction-East-Bay-Expressway-768x373.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Under-construction-East-Bay-Expressway-1024x498.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Under-construction-East-Bay-Expressway-1400x681.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Under-construction-East-Bay-Expressway-1800x875.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Under-construction-East-Bay-Expressway-scaled.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"The under-construction Eastbay Expressway, Zofeen T Ebrahim)\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The under-construction Eastbay Expressway, in April 2021 (Image: Zofeen T Ebrahim)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Under-construction-East-Bay-Expressway-scaled.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"421 KB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1244\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Khulgari-Ward-2-scaled.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Khulgari-Ward-2-768x373.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Khulgari-Ward-2-1024x498.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Khulgari-Ward-2-1400x681.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Khulgari-Ward-2-1800x875.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Khulgari-Ward-2-scaled.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"The Eastbay Expressway has blocked residents of Khulgari Ward\u2019s access to the sea, Zofeen T Ebrahim)\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The Eastbay Expressway has blocked residents of Khulgari Ward\u2019s access to the sea (Image: Zofeen T Ebrahim)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Khulgari-Ward-2-scaled.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"516 KB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1244\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When asked about the problems the expressway has created for locals, Shabbir Ahmed, the private secretary to the GPA chair, said it has also \u201cdirectly or indirectly\u201d created over 500 jobs for them. He is one of the longest-serving employees at the port, having been employed there since 2004.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Initiated in 2017, the expressway was due to be completed by<a href=\"http:\/\/cpec.gov.pk\/project-details\/32\"> <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/cpec.gov.pk\/project-details\/32\">October 2020<\/a>, but has been delayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"wp-block-cd-related-news alignright block--related-news loading\" data-post-id=\"20022196\"><div class=\"block--related-news__image\"><\/div><div class=\"block--related-news__content\"><span class=\"block--related-news__heading\">Recommended<\/span><span class=\"block--related-news__title\"><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Kashani explained the delay. \u201cWe had to change the design to accommodate three bridges and a jetty to address the grievances of the fishers.\u201d He said 85% of the work was complete and the road should be ready in \u201cless than a year\u201d.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The changes were made at the eleventh hour although fishers had been protesting since 2018. The protests had gained momentum in the last six months, forcing politicians as well as the Gwadar deputy commissioner to take notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, we are not against development; we had been telling them for the last three years to hear us out, to include us in the plan,\u201d said Umar, the resident of Khulgari who is also the president of the Muttahida Mahigeer Gwadar, an organisation fighting for the rights of the fishers in Gwadar. He said fishers make up 80% of the district\u2019s inhabitants, but have largely been ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"wp-block-cd-related-news alignright block--related-news loading\" data-post-id=\"20046851\"><div class=\"block--related-news__image\"><\/div><div class=\"block--related-news__content\"><span class=\"block--related-news__heading\">Recommended<\/span><span class=\"block--related-news__title\"><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFortunately the old town remained undisturbed and we did not have to displace anyone,\u201d said Kashani. In Pakistan, development projects often come at the cost of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1441265\">displacing the poor,<\/a> with little offered as compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fishers-blocked-from-sea\">Fishers blocked from sea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While Umar acknowledged that no evictions had taken place, he pointed to another problem: that the expressway took away the community\u2019s 2 km of free access to the sea. This had a major impact on both their social and economic wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to this, he said the construction of the expressway has caused structural damage to many houses in the three settlements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Describing the damage as \u201cminor cracks\u201d, Kashani said a detailed survey was carried out by the GPA in collaboration with the building and road department and the deputy commissioner\u2019s officer. He added that compensation of \u201cPKR 48 million [about USD 300,000] has been estimated\u201d and will \u201csoon be paid to the affectees\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe have been told we will be compensated but we don\u2019t know when,\u201d said Umar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-did-you-know alignleft block--did-you-know\"><p class=\"block--did-you-know__title\">Editor\u2019s note<\/p><div class=\"block--did-you-know__content\"><p>In early August 2021, fishers were told they will be compensated with half the amount within the coming week. GPA chair Kashani told The Third Pole that by the following month all compensation due would be paid.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>He added that the community experiences long hours of power outages, which become impossible to endure when \u201cmosquitoes keep everyone awake till the early hours\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStay a night and experience it yourself!\u201d said Ataullah Baloch, another fisher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The road has also damaged the social fabric of the community, bringing \u201cmisery and disease\u201d in its wake, said Baloch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe would sit along the shore every evening to watch the youth play cricket and football matches,\u201d he recalled, adding that three years ago the expressway ended that recreation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of this, said Umar, the fishers have been demanding a link road running parallel to the expressway so they can carry on with their lives like before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than anything, the expressway has destroyed their livelihood.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe sea used to be five minutes away,\u201d said fisher Abdul Rasheed Isa, as he pointed to the strip of tarmac in front of the settlement. \u201cOur access to the sea has been completely blocked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAre we mere insects that they can trample under their feet?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe cannot bring our boats to the shore and if we leave them in the sea, they break into pieces crashing against rocks.\u201d He added that, between January and April, up to 40 boats were damaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"wp-block-cd-related-news alignright block--related-news loading\" data-post-id=\"20065629\"><div class=\"block--related-news__image\"><\/div><div class=\"block--related-news__content\"><span class=\"block--related-news__heading\">Recommended<\/span><span class=\"block--related-news__title\"><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>The rocky seabed of the East Bay, with its nurseries of shrimp and prawn, used to be a steady source of income for these fishermen, but the Gwadar port has affected their livelihood. It is off limits for the fishers as the area is classified as a high-security zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe could fish here all year round,\u201d said Isa. A single day\u2019s haul, he said, can fetch PKR 5,000-10,000 (USD 32-65).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Several fishers complained that the maritime security guards were \u201cdownright insulting\u201d, and that they \u201cused foul language\u201d and often \u201cstruck\u201d the fishers with batons if they argued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most felt affronted that they are denied access to waters that \u201chistorically are ours\u201d.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The hurt is being somewhat addressed with the construction of a jetty so the fishermen can unload their catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-future-for-fishers-in-gwadar-city\">The future for fishers in Gwadar city<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The COPHC acknowledged that the people of Gwadar live difficult lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is a very neglected area with huge challenges not only on the health and education fronts but also as far as electricity and water are concerned,\u201d said Zhang, the chair of COPHC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the young people of Gwadar, the future remains bleak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the past 15 years, scant progress has been made on an under-construction degree college. A university campus affiliated with the University of Turbat is located on the college\u2019s campus, but has a very limited faculty. Gwadar University, which China wants to link with a Chinese university, has not progressed since its groundbreaking due to the absence of funds, according to local journalist Behram Baloch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThose who can afford it send their kids to Karachi to study or relocate as a family,\u201d he said. Three of his children study in a boarding school in the city of Bahawalpur, in Punjab.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The COPHC is trying to make small changes to lift local people out of poverty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These include setting up a vocational institute, building a 100-bed modern hospital that will be functional by the end of the year, providing over a million litres of freshwater to local people every day as well as planting trees. COPHC has also managed to get a Chinese NGO to build a new middle school in an impoverished settlement of Gwadar to provide free education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGwadar is special,\u201d said Zhang, adding that he found the people \u201chardworking, friendly and peace-loving\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite serious efforts to build and promote Gwadar as a global trade centre, business is scarce in the port city. A field report reveals that a lack of infrastructure hampers development and construction of a major road has left fishers worse off.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20000276,"featured_media":20077787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[758],"tags":[556,600],"hashtags":[],"country":[20000110,20000112],"class_list":["post-20077772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-infrastructure","tag-trade","country-china","country-pakistan"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Gwadar port: key CPEC project a long way from trade hub vision<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Despite serious efforts to build and promote Gwadar port as a global trade centre, business is scarce in the coastal city\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/business\/pakistan-gwadar-port-long-way-from-trade-hub-vision\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pakistan\u2019s key CPEC port a long way from trade hub vision\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Despite serious efforts to build and promote Gwadar as a global trade centre, business is scarce in the port city. 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