‘Efforts underway to provide road, rail links to Gwadar’

[Naveed Yaseen]

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Ports and Shipping Sardar Nabeel Ahmed Gabol on Friday told the National Assembly that the government is striving to provide road and rail links to the Gwadar Port to boost business activity in the area.

Responding to a question, the state minister said since its opening in December, shipping activity at the port has been in full swing. However, it would further enhance commercial activity once the port is linked through a road and railway network.

He told the House that even today, two ships are anchored at the port from which urea is being unloaded. He said the Makran Coastal Highway is coping with the needs of transportation for Karachi while efforts are under way to provide road access for upcountry parts like Khuzdar.

To another question, he said that loading and unloading capacity of three ports, including the Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar is 70 million tons, 40 million tons and three million tons per annum respectively.

He rejected the impression that the KPT was running in loss, adding that out of 33 berths at the port, 25 are in operation while the rest are being repaired to be operative within a couple of months.

Later, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr Asim Hussain said the Petroleum Policy 2007 prepared by the previous government was flawed, which incurred around $414,900.

He said the 2007 policy was not implemented, adding that as the new 2009 policy has been notified by the ministry, it incurred no expenditures.

To another question, the minister said in written reply that royalty or transit fee is applicable only in case where gas is transported to any third country such as India, which is currently not taking part in the project.

Since the imported gas is to be consumed in Pakistan only, at present no transit fee is applicable.

He said as and when India joins the project and transit fee is negotiated, the Balochistan government would be taken onboard, adding that the chief minister of Balochistan is a member of the steering committee that had decided that imported IPI gas will be dedicated to the power generation sector.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=191932