New Gwadar International Airport: Pakistan's 2nd Greenfield Class 4F Airport Nearing Completion

[Riaz Haq]

The architecture of the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) is inspired by a rising Phoenix. It is Pakistan's second greenfield airport built from scratch in a new location. With a 3,650-meter long runway, it is a Class 4F airport.  NGIA is scheduled to begin test flights in December this year.  The only other airport with a 3,600-meter long runway is the New Islamabad International Airport that opened for commercial flights in 2018. Karachi and Lahore international airports have runways lengths of 3,400 meters and 3,360 meters respectively, putting them in 4E class. All four of these major Pakistani airports can handle landing of Airbus A380, the largest commercial airliner in operation today. 

New Gwadar International Airport Architecture Inspired by A Rising Phoenix

New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) is being built in Gwadar at a cost of $246 million on an area of 4,300 acres. Construction of NGIA started in October, 2019. The entire project is being built by the state-owned China Airport Construction Company funded by a Chinese government grant. It was originally scheduled for completion in 36 months. The work was slightly delayed due to the COVID19 pandemic. It is now expected to be ready for trial flights in December, 2022. 

New Gwadar International Airport, Gwadar, Pakistan

NGIA is part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. Another key CPEC project recently completed in Gwadar is the 19-kilometer long six-lane East Bay Expressway. It was opened for traffic on June 3, 2022. East Bay Expressway connects to the Makran Coastal Highway which in turn is connected to the larger network of motorways and highways in the country as well as to China and the landlocked nations of Central Asia in CAREC.

East Bay Expressway, Gwadar, Pakistan

The completion of New Gwadar International Airport and East Bay Expressway is an indication that the Western and Indian media headlines about the death of CPEC are not credible. To the contrary, the continuing progress on CPEC projects confirms the strong commitment of both the Chinese and the Pakistan government to move forward with their broad-based cooperation. Just yesterday, Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed that his government is determined to complete all the projects under the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian said China would continue to support its companies in investing and operating in Pakistan to realize win-win results and shared development. 

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[Riaz Haq]

CPEC special economic zones to generate huge job opportunities in Pakistan: official

https://english.news.cn/20221215/e0172b03c8b5487d806730149fd7b5fb/c...

Four special economic zones (SEZs) being set up under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are likely to generate about 575,000 direct and over 1 million indirect jobs in Pakistan, a senior official said on Thursday.

The economic zones being established in the country's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan provinces would bring about immense opportunities for Pakistani people in job and business sectors, Chairman of Special Economic Zones Authority S.M. Naveed said.

"We have conducted a study to assess job opportunities in four out of nine SEZs, including KP's Rashakai, Sindh's Dhabeji, Punjab's Allama Iqbal and Balochistan's Bostan, to find out potential jobs and industries in the SEZs," the official said, adding that the SEZs offer employment in different fields for which the local youth would be trained before the initiation of the industrial phase.

The trained and skilled labor and engineers would not only get good jobs in the economic zones but also enable Chinese and local companies to recruit skilled professionals from local areas, he added.

The potential industries being set up in the CPEC special economic zones include food processing, cooking oil, ceramics, gems and jewelry, marble, minerals, agriculture machinery, iron and steel, motorbike assembling, electrical appliances and automobiles.

Launched in 2013, CPEC is a corridor linking Pakistan's Gwadar Port with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport and industrial cooperation. ■

[Riaz Haq]

India’s Trade Dreams Snubbed As The World’s Biggest Ship Gives It A Miss

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/indias-trade-dreams-snu...

India’s goal of being a trade hub hit a major snag on January 11, when the world’s biggest boxship, Ever Alot, gave it a miss because of port infrastructural issues. Meanwhile, the economically hit Sri Lanka and the south-east nation Malaysia have been visited by Ever Alot in recent times.

Although the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust highlighted that the Mundra Port run by Adani could handle the 24000 TEU ship, Ever Alot decided to skip it over the lack of a 17-meter draft. To berth the 400 meters long ship, such a draft was crucial.

So far, the Mundra Port has handled ships as big as APL Raffles, a 17,292-TEU ship, in January last year. The vessel was carrying 13,159 TEUs onboard at that time.

[Riaz Haq]

10 years of BRI: lawmakers visit Port Qasim Power Project

https://dailytimes.com.pk/1059922/10-years-of-bri-lawmakers-visit-p...

The Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) hosted a two-day delegation visit to CPEC projects such as the Port Qasim Power Project and the Thar Coal Mines at Sindh Electric Coal Mining Company, according to Gwadar Pro.

The delegation, led by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, included renowned parliamentarians from various political parties. Guo Guangling, CEO of Port Qasim Electric Power Company, hosted and welcomed the delegation on the first day and briefed them on the project’s unique operation.

The delegation was briefed on the most recent developments in CPEC’s energy sector, CPEC’ contribution to the Pakistani economy and the opportunities for interaction between Chinese investors and delegates.

The Port Qasim Power Project uses Super Critical Technology, which emits white smoke that is environmentally friendly. It is currently operational and connected to the national grid.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed thanked Power China and the people of China for trusting and investing in Pakistan, especially when Pakistan was facing the most deadly wave of terrorism. “By constructing an economic corridor that promotes connection, construction, exploration of investments, and people-to-people contacts for connectivity, CPEC is aiming to better the lives of the people of Pakistan and China,” he added.

According to the data provided by PCI, 12 energy projects have been completed under CPEC in the last 10 years. In total, there are 36 active projects with an estimated cost of $27.5 billion. It is expected that many of these projects will be completed by 2023.

As per the data, the completed energy projects include the 1320MW Sahiwal Coal-fired power plant, 1320 MW Coal-fired power plant at Port Qasim, Karachi, 1320 MW China Hub Coal Power Project, Hub Balochistan, 660 MW Engro Thar Coal Power Project, 720 MW Karot Hydropower Project, AJK/Punjab, 100MW UEP wind farm Jhimpir, Thatta, 50 MW Sachal wind farm, Jhimpir, Thatta, 100 MW Three Gorges second and third Wind power project, 1000 MW Quaid-e-Azam solar park Bahawalpur, 50 MW Hydro China Dawood Wind Farm Gharo, Thatta, Matiari to Lahore 660 KV HVDC transmission line project, 4000 MW evacuation capacity, and 330 MW HUBCO Thar coal power project.

[Riaz Haq]

‘Gwadar to have university soon’

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1044324-gwadar-to-have-university-...

Islamabad : The great news for the youth of Gwadar is that 500 acres of land have been acquired for the establishment of the University of Gwadar, the ground-breaking ceremony of which is expected soon may this month or next one. Gwadar University will be affiliated with Shanghai Maritime University and a Maritime Centre of Excellence will also be built in it. Moreover, a lot of money is being allocated to the CPEC project for the development of Gwadar.

The largest development project spearheaded by China in Pakistan ever since 2015 is known as the game changer, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Quite fortunately, it started from Gwadar seaport, the deepest sea area in the world located on the Arabian Sea in the South of Gwadar District of Baluchistan. People of Pakistan, especially from the undeveloped province of Balochistan, had attached a lot of hope to it, rightfully so, because Chinese companies had begun the development work on Gwadar city and seaport as early as November 2016.

The development of Gwadar and Baluchistan, however, kick started serious problems for India and its lobbies in America and Iran. For this reason alone, their intelligence agencies planned to sabotage the CPEC project.

As per reports, there have been 12 attacks on officers and other personnel working on Chinese projects so far, in which many Chinese have been killed and injured. Among these attacks, the most notable were the bombing of the Quetta Serena Hotel that targeted the ambassador of China; the attack on the Dasu Dam in which more than six Chinese residents were killed, and the suicide bomb attack of a Baloch woman on the Chinese teachers of the Karachi University Confucius Centre.

The CPEC projects include the construction of 8,000 km of roads from the coastal area of Gwadar to connect the entire district with Balochistan and Sindh.

The most important issue in Gwadar is the electricity supply. So far, the electricity is supplied through the Iran-Turbat transmission line, which is 17 megawatts. However, the 100-MW power project from Iran will be completed this year. Rupees 50.2 billion have been spent on this project and 3,600 solar panels have been distributed to remote areas. As many as 10,000 more panels will be distributed. The 300-MW power plant coal project is to be completed by 2025. All this development work is being done by a Chinese company through CPEC projects.

The limited nature of water resources is another overwhelming issue in the area. Chinese company started work in this regards costing around Rs11 billion through which the issue is being expected to be resolved. The 100 per cent of funds have been allocated to the provincial government for border markets in Gabad, Mand and Chirhi. They will be connected to the M-8 Coastal Highway.

M-8 Section (Awaran) will connect Gwadar Port with the North through the Eastern, Central and Western alignments of CPEC. Gwadar will be connected to the North through the east, central and west alignments of CPEC routes. In the health sector, Pakistan China Friendship Hospital (PCFH) Gwadar, a 70-bed hospital, is functioning here in Gwadar. However, in phase 2, this hospital will be handed over to Indus Hospital and another 100 beds will be provided.

Besides this, as per reports, some 2,000 boat engines have been distributed to fishermen of Gwadar in December 2022. On the other hand, the illegal trawling of Sindh fishermen in Gwadar is a major controversy. However, after the 18th Amendment, this has become a provincial issue.

[Riaz Haq]

20 new projects in Gwadar on the way of completion during 2023: Report | Pakistan Today


https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/02/09/20-new-projects-in-gwad...

These projects entail desalination potable water plant, Gwadar Free Zone North (Phase 11), Gwadar Safe City Project, New Gwadar International Airport, three electricity projects, Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan, Gwadar Tourism Project, New management model of Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute (PCT & VI), State of Art Shipyard Project, Oil Refinery project, Green Gwadar Project, Pak-China Friendship Hospital, fisher community projects, Gwadar Port dredging project, Export-oriented projects, Fishing industry, Warehouse industry, and Gwadar Huafa Exhibition and Trading Center.

According to the report, over the last 10 years since CPEC set its foot in 2013, Gwadar outlook is changing gradually and constructively, getting over daunting challenges including poverty, civic issues, water, electricity, employment, infrastructure, agriculture and on top of them blue economy.

In the past Gwadar was in shamble and disarray. Later in the course of 10 years, Gwadar has been making headway toward progress in a sustainable manner.

Many development projects have been completed so far including Gwadar Port, Gwadar Free Zone South (Phase I), Eastbay Expressway, Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute (PCT & VI), China-Pakistan Gwadar Faqeer Middle School, Fiber Optic, E-Custom system (WeBOC), Plant Tissue Culture Lab & Green House, livestock, women-led garment factory, Gwadar University and GDA-Indus Hospital.

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The city’s strategic location at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, coupled with its deep-sea port and modern infrastructure, makes it a hub for trade, transportation, and investment.

As a result, Gwadar is expected to attract a significant amount of foreign investment and economic activity in the coming years, emerging as a major contributor to Pakistan’s economic growth.

One of the most significant projects is the 1.2 Million Gallon Per Day (MGD) de-salination plant, expected to be fully operational by April 2023. This plant will provide a reliable source of clean drinking water to the residents of Gwadar.

In 2023, more than 4 lakhs of people of Gwadar are going to get rid of painful power woes as three electricity projects will power up Gwadar. The first project is about 100 MW Irani electricity from Gabd-Remdan (Pak-Iran border) to Jiwani Grid Station to Gwadar that will come on 1st March.

The second project is another 100 MW from Iran-Pangjur-Turban-Pasni to Gwadar that is going to be completed in current year. The third project is from Quetta, Nag-Besima section to Pangjur and then Turbat-Pasni to Gwadar.

Meanwhile 5 MW power supply will be available to Gwadar Free Zones North (Phase II). If all goes well, in the second step 12 MW power supply will be ensured for Gwadar Free Zone South (phase I) and Gwadar Port in coming months. Finally, the government also approved 300 MW coal-fired power project for Gwadar.

Another major project that is expected to pick more pace in 2023 is the development of the Gwadar Free Zone North (Phase II) spreading over 2,221 acres of land. Currently, export-based Chinese companies are very near building and running their factories in a few months.

The year of 2023 has also brought many fortunes for Gwadar’s fishermen regarding their livelihood to new housing schemes. The Balochistan Government has approved 200 acres of land for new fishermen housing colony for low-income fishmen of Gwadar.

Around Rs300 million has been allocated. Around 3,291 poor fishermen of Gwadar are going to get free of cost boat engines as the government has allocated funds of Rs823 million.

[Riaz Haq]

CPEC enters phase 2: PCJCCI

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1064292-cpec-enters-phase-2-pcjcci


LAHORE: Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) on Wednesday said that CPEC after successful completion of early harvest phase has now entered into the second phase with focus on industrial cooperation, trade, agriculture and socio-economic development.

Presiding over a think tank of the joint chamber, PCJCCI President Moazzam Ghurki observed that increase in trade; investment and financial flows would bring peace and prosperity to the region through enhanced competition reducing regional disparities and social inequality.

Currently, 22 projects are undergoing fast implementation, higher in pace in comparison with any other corridor of the BRI initiative, making CPEC the central corridor of the initiative. Through Belt and Road forum participating states should promote intergovernmental cooperation, build intergovernmental mechanisms based on shared interests, trust and consensus.

PCJCCI Senior Vice President Fang Yulong said that Belt and Road Initiative reflects the far-sighted economic vision that is opening gateways of cooperation among the countries along the route. Connectivity, at the heart of Belt and Road, is primarily about linking the region to the world through economic belts to facilitate people to people interaction. He also said that Pakistan is actively engaged in the initiative and its flagship project, CPEC, is progressing in the right direction.

[Riaz Haq]

#Chinese Gov't Commissioned Study: #China-#Pakistan #railway ‘worth it’ at estimated US$58 billion. It should proceed because of its #strategic significance. It has the potential to reshape #trade and #geopolitics across the Eurasian continent. #CPEC https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3218413/china-pakis...

Belt and Road Initiative’s most expensive transport infrastructure project ‘has potential’ to reshape trade and geopolitics
The rail link is part of a broader plan to revive ancient Silk Road connections and reduce reliance on Western-dominated routes

The China-Pakistan railway – China’s largest Belt and Road Initiative transport project – will cost an estimated 400 billion yuan (US$57.7 billion), but should proceed because of its strategic significance, a government-commissioned feasibility study has found.
The proposed railway, connecting Pakistan’s port of Gwadar to Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, was assessed by scientists from the state-owned China Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group Co Ltd.
The team, led by the institute’s deputy director of capital operations Zhang Ling, said the project was the belt and road plan’s most expensive transport infrastructure.
Despite the cost, the project had the potential to reshape trade and geopolitics across the Eurasian continent and should be supported, the team said in a report published by the Chinese-language journal Railway Transport and Economy in April.
“The government and financial institutions [in China] should provide strong support, increase coordination and collaboration among relevant domestic departments, strive for the injection of support funds and provide strong policy support and guarantees for the construction of this project,” they said.
The institute is one of the largest of its kind in China and has been involved in many major railway projects at home and internationally, including Indonesia’s Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail line.
The 3,000km (1,860-mile) railway will link China’s western regions with the Arabian Sea, bypassing the Strait of Malacca and reducing dependence on the South China Sea.
Connections with other transport networks – including in Iran and Turkey – would also provide a more direct route to Europe for Chinese goods, while Pakistan is forecast to get a much-needed boost from the improved infrastructure and easier trade with China.
The scheme is a key component of Beijing’s broader belt and road plan to promote economic cooperation and connectivity among the countries along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.
Previous studies by Chinese government researchers have suggested the infrastructure initiative could have significant geopolitical implications, helping to shift the balance of power away from traditional Western-dominated trade routes.
As well as encouraging a more multipolar world order, the belt and road plan could also help to promote economic development and stability in countries along the route by creating jobs, boosting infrastructure investment and increasing trade, the studies said.
Most belt and road transport infrastructure construction projects had received a significant proportion of funding from the host countries, and the scale of investment was much smaller, Zhang and his colleagues noted.
For example, total investment in Kenya’s Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway was US$3.8 billion, with China providing 5 per cent of the funding and Kenya paying for the rest.

[Riaz Haq]

#Chinese Gov't Commissioned Study: #China-#Pakistan #railway ‘worth it’ at estimated US$58 billion. It should proceed because of its #strategic significance. It has the potential to reshape #trade and #geopolitics across the Eurasian continent. #CPEC https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3218413/china-pakis...


The project connects the port city to the Kenyan capital and is part of a larger plan to link East African countries by rail. Similarly, China contributed 30 per cent of the US$4 billion funding for the Addis Ababa-Djibouti rail line in Ethiopia.
China covered 75 per cent of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway’s costs of US$5.9 billion, with Indonesian state-owned enterprises providing the remainder.
But Pakistan is unable to make a similar contribution. Its GDP last year was US$370 billion – just six times the estimated cost of the project.
“Due to energy shortages, poor investment environment and fiscal deficits,


Pakistan’s economic growth rate has come under pressure,” the team said.
“In terms of railway investment and construction, Pakistan is unable to provide sufficient financial and material support and mainly relies on Chinese enterprises for investment and construction.”

One reason for the hefty cost is the mountainous and geologically complex terrain along the route. There could be technical challenges to overcome in the construction and operation of the railway, the researchers said.
The project also required supporting infrastructure – such as ports and logistics facilities – that might not be immediately available in Pakistan, they said.

The study said Pakistan’s labour policies could be unpredictable, which could potentially affect the railway’s construction and operating costs.
The team also noted that Pakistan had experienced security challenges in recent years, including in its western region where the railway will pass through. Balochistan province, for instance, has been plagued by separatist violence for decades.

This could potentially disrupt construction and operation of the railway and pose a risk to Chinese workers and investments, the researchers said.
The study also pointed out the railway’s potential impact on neighbouring countries, such as India. With each country having its own priorities and interests, there could be disagreements or delays in decision-making related to the project, it said.
Zhang’s team suggested that a build and transfer (BT) model would provide the best investment and financing strategy for the project.
They considered BT against build-operate-transfer, public-private partnerships, and the engineering, procurement, construction mode that are becoming more popular in belt and road projects.


In the BT model, a contractor would be responsible for designing, building and financing the railway, with payment on completion and ownership transferred to the government or other commissioning entity.
The researchers said BT would allow the risks associated with the railway’s construction and operation to be allocated more effectively between China and Pakistan, potentially reducing the financial risks for both parties.
By ensuring that ownership of the railway was transferred to Pakistan, BT could also help to build trust between China and Pakistan by showing China’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s long-term economic development, they said.
China and Pakistan have been talking for years about the railway, a crucial part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that was launched in 2015 and aims to connect Gwadar port to Xinjiang through a network of roads, railways and pipelines.
The researchers said the China-Pakistan relationship was complex, with both countries having different priorities and interests.
Negotiating agreements related to financing, labour policies, and other issues would require careful consideration of each country’s priorities and interests, they said.
In conclusion, Zhang and his team said their recommendation could help to move negotiations forward.

[Riaz Haq]

China's new Premier Li Qiang on Thursday held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif and voiced support for cash-strapped Pakistan in maintaining financial stability, and hoped that Islamabad will continue to create a favourable environment to guarantee the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel

https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/chin...


Noting China and Pakistan are good neighbours, friends, partners and brothers, Li said that both sides should maintain high-level exchanges and promote greater progress in bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, the state-run Xinhua Xinhua news agency reported on the telephonic talks.

Li, who assumed charge as Premier in March, also said, "China supports Pakistan in maintaining financial stability, and hopes that Pakistan will continue to create a favourable environment so as to guarantee the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Pakistan." He was referring to frequent terror attacks on Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

On this, Sharif added that "Pakistan will make every effort to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Pakistan."

Sharif, who called both the countries "iron-clad brothers", also thanked China for its firm support and selfless help to the cash-starved country in safeguarding national independence and sovereignty and promoting national development. Besides political and military support, China has supported Pakistan financially, rolling over earlier loans and approving new financial packages.

Li also expressed that the two sides should support each other in the multilateral field, uphold international fairness and justice, safeguard the common interests of both countries and other developing countries, defend regional peace and security,and promote common development, the state-run agency reported. Sharif congratulated Li and reiterated Pakistan’s "unstinting" support to Beijing's “one-China” policy, as well as its stance on Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea, an official statement said in Islamabad. "As all-weather partners and close friends, Pakistan appreciated China’s peaceful development as a positive factor of international peace and stability, and confident that China will continue to achieve milestones on its journey towards modernisation and rejuvenation," the Pakistani prime minister said. The Pakistani premier also thanked his Chinese counterpart for China's "principled position"on the disputed Jammu and Kashmir issue. Li, for his part, "praised Pakistan’s support for China and reaffirmed his country’s continuing support to Pakistan’s national development, sovereignty, and territorial integrity".

"China would continue to stand with Pakistan at all times," said the Chinese premier. On China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Li said that both sides should work together to improve the quality of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) cooperation, making it a high-quality demonstration project of the Belt and Road cooperation. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal of BRI and the 10th anniversary of the launch of the CPEC.

[Riaz Haq]

China and Pakistan should speed up bilateral cooperation in agriculture, mineral and technology, China’s Premier Li Qiang told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call on Thursday, Chinese state media reported.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40239176

Li also said the two countries should build a China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as a demonstration project under China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, according to state media.

A day earlier, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir also held a “detailed” meeting with the Commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as part of his official visit to the country, with both sides agreeing to enhance relations between their militaries.

“Matters of mutual security interests and military cooperation were discussed,” a statement by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

“Both military commanders reiterated the need for maintaining peace and stability in the region and enhancing military to military cooperation,” it added.

Separately, Chinese envoy had earlier assured Finance Minister Ishaq Dar of continued support to neighbouring Pakistan, which remains engulfed in a balance payment crisis.

The development came during a meeting between Pang Chunxue, Charge’d Affairs, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, with Dar at the Finance Division on Tuesday.

As per the statement from the Ministry of Finance, Dar highlighted historical bilateral relations between China and Pakistan and commended Chinese support for Pakistan. He also underscored the need for further deepening relations in economic, trade and financial sectors.