Gwadar billed as the Singapore of Pakistan

GDA DG pledges to transform coastal city into smart city

QUETTA: Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Director General (DG) Shahzaib Khan Kakar has said that the port city would be transformed into a smart city as it was the ‘future Singapore’ of Pakistan.

Addressing a meeting at the Association of Builders and Developers (Abad), Kakar noted that with an organisation of talented builders there was no reason that the port city would not develop.

“All the facilities will be provided to the investors here. The master plan for Gwadar has been prepared. It is the safest city in the country,” he said.

“Gwadar should have been developed like Singapore 10 years ago. The biggest problem of the port city was the [availability of] water which has now been resolved as supply lines from dams to the city are being laid,” he added.

“At present, the dams have accumulated water for up to 5 years while desalinization plants are also being installed.”

Kakar observed that other obstacles faced by the port city were the power outage and law and order situation.

He declared that these issues had been addressed and now Gwadar was the safest city in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Abad former chairman Junaid Ashraf regretted saying though the GDA was established in 2004, but the port city could not develop as expected in 16 years.

“The recommendations of all stakeholders should be included in the preparation of the master plan and investors be assured that it would not be changed,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2020.