Ship building yards at Karachi and Gwadar: Gilani forms body to finalise sites

[Naveed Yaseen]

Govt to build shipyards in Karachi & Gwadar

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to build shipyards in Karachi and Gwadar to meet the growing needs of shipping lines.

A committee has been constituted to finalise the sites for building shipyards and submit its report before the policy board within two weeks for final approval.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, while expressing government’s resolve for the development of shipbuilding industry in Pakistan, said that the setting up of two shipyards at Karachi and Gwadar would go a long way in catering to domestic as well as international needs.

The Prime Minister observed this while chairing a meeting to review the progress on the development of shipbuilding industry in the country here at the Prime Minister’s house this afternoon.

The Prime Minister constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the Minister for Ports and Shipping, Qamar Zaman Kaira, to finalise the sites for building shipyards at Karachi and Gwadar.

The Prime Minister emphasised upon the need to make Pakistan a leading shipbuilding country of the region thus contributing towards economic development and poverty alleviation.

While highlighting Pakistan’s unique geo-strategic location and trained manpower, the Prime Minister said, advantage needs to be leveraged to enter into shipbuilding industry in a big way through joint venture with reputable international shipyards. He said shipyards not only generate employment opportunities but also develop wide range of ancillary industries.

Earlier, MD Karachi Shipyards briefed the Prime Minister about the progress made on the development of shipbuilding. He also apprised the Prime Minister that two world-class shipyards on Joint Venture basis are proposed to be built at Gwadar and Port Qasim.

Minister for Ports and Shipping, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral M. Afzal Tahir, Secretary Defence Production, Secretary Ports and Shipping, Secretary Planning, Secretary BOI, MD Karachi Shipyard also attended the meeting.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2008_pg5_1