Consensus reached with Centre on Gwadar shipyard

Provincial govt settles issues with defence production ministry

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal has announced that the provincial government and the defence production ministry had unanimously reached a consensus over the Gwadar shipyard project.

“This will create huge employment [opportunities] and boost the economy of the province,” he tweeted.

The consensus was reached after the Balochistan chief minister met Federal Defence Production Minister Zubaida Jalal in Quetta to discuss the project.

Kamal said engineers and other workers hired for the shipyard would be trained in Karachi.

Earlier this year, the Senate Standing Committee on Defence Production had expressed concerns over the delay in the processing of the new Gwadar shipyard and asked the Balochistan government to coordinate with the defence production ministry on the matter.

Zubaida Jalal told the Senate panel that the Balochistan government had agreed to hand over 600 acres for the construction of the shipyard in the Kappar area of the province.

Addressing a rally in Turbat last year, Jalal said the Gwadar shipyard would provide several jobs for the people of Makran.

She added that the ownership of the shipyard land had been given to the Balochistan government, which would result in the economic growth of the province.

“Technical centres in Gwadar, Kech and Turbat will be set up to create manpower for the shipyard.”

Qatari CG

Qatari Consul General Mashal Muhammad Al- Ansari met the Balochistan chief minister and discussed investment plans in the province.

Kamal informed the Arab diplomat about the investment opportunities in Balochistan, adding that the province had turned into a gateway to foreign investment.

“The provincial government has made the Balochistan Board of Investment and Trade functional. It will provide the facility of one-window operations to all investors,” he said.

Kamal further said the provincial government was organising the International Livestock Expo from November 18 to 20 where foreign and local investors would be briefed about the investment opportunities in Balochistan.

The Qatari consul general said his country’s government would inform its investors about the business opportunities in Balochistan.

Balochistan Board of Investment and Trade CEO Zahid Saleem and Balochistan Coastal Development Authority DG Babar Khan were also present at the meeting.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2019.