Gwadar Port - a centre for growth of transport, logistics in the region.

• Author: Fazl-E-Haider, Syed

Byline: Syed Fazl-E-Haider

Gwadar port will prove a milestone in promoting regional trade between Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs). For Pakistan, Central Asia is very important part of the region. The country is located close to the warm waters. Gwadar port is being developed into an international port with huge investment of China and the road network is being completed, which will connect CARs with this port and would generate massive economic activity in the region. The goods produced in Pakistan can be exported to CARs at much cheaper transportation rates. Transportation, investment, technology, tourism, agriculture and telecommunication are only a few of the areas which can generate and absorb trade and economic activity in the region and strengthening each and every one of these sectors is of vital importance for sustainable development and economic growth of the region.

Pakistan has been Afghanistan's principle trading partner and entry port for imports and exports. Pakistan has been providing trade facility to Afghanistan under the WTO charter that allows the landlocked country to use the port of the neighboring country. It was in1965 that Pakistan signed Afghan Transit Trade agreement (ATT) with neighboring Afghanistan to facilitate Afghan foreign trade. Presently around 300 containers per month pass through the Karachi port for onward haulage to Afghanistan.

By virtue of its geo-strategic location, the landlocked Afghanistan can emerge as a trade hub connecting the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Pakistan railway also plans to lay railway tracks to link Gwadar with Afghanistan and the track will further link central Asian republic and Europe. The planned railway line from Chaman (a boarder town in Balochistan) to Spinbudlak would facilitate trade with Afghanistan and through Afghanistan with the countries of Central Asia. Gwadar would provide landlocked Afghanistan and the Central Asian republics with access to the sea. Goods and oil and gas reserves from these countries could be shipped to global markets through Gwadar port. There is almost no transit trade through Afghanistan. Being a landlocked country, Afghanistan desperately needs an export outlet.

If the ATT cargo shifts to Gwadar Port, it will give a big boost to the new port because there are already road networks up to the Iranian border. Afghanistan actually wants to benefit from the proximity of distance of around 460km from...