Beijing: The ambitious ‘Gwadar Smart City Master Plan’ is in the final stages of development, and its details may be revealed by next month, a news source reported.
Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Chairman Naseer Khan Kashani recently expressed his views on the matter during an interview with Global Times. He said that both Pakistani and Chinese officials have provided their informed insights with respect to the master plan.
He informed that the Gwadar Smart City project will be completed in a phased manner. To facilitate this measure, the maps and guidelines have been divided into three timelines: 2025, 2035 and 2050. For the next five years, the master plan will focus on the provision of basic civic amenities in the port city.
He said that Gwadar would soon emerge as a focal point of trading and shipping activities for landlocked Central Asian countries, western China, and Afghanistan. The master plan would transform the city into a hub of industrialisation, commercial activity and international marine trade.
At present, Pakistan has two main international deep-sea ports: Karachi Port and Port Qasim. The facilities planned for Gwadar Port include modern cargo handling techniques, state-of-the-art storage provisions, and high-tech logistic arrangements.
