Gwadar Port to generate 2 million jobs

[LRE]

ISLAMABAD, Dec 21 (APP):Gwadar Port fully functional now is expected to generate billions of dollars in revenues and create at least two million jobs. According to a report of private TV channel, Gwadar will serve as an energy corridor for Central Asia, Middle East, South Asia and the western part of Asia.The significance of Gwadar is great to both Pakistan and China.

Pakistan will be able to have a strategic depth southwest from its naval base in Karachi.The future business hub is surrounded by sea from all sides and provides cheapest trade route to ships.

Gwadar is located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, close to the important Straits of Hormuz, through which more than 13 million bpd of oil passes.It is strategically located between three increasingly important regions of the world: the oil‑rich Middle East, heavily populated South Asia and the economically emerging and resource‑rich Central Asia.

Gwadar would be connected with China through the Indus Highway.

China, Kazakhistan,Kyrgizstan and Uzbekistan are developing extensive road and rail links from Central Asia and the Chinese province of Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea coast.

China is going to be the beneficiary of Gwadar’s most accessible international trade routes to the Central Asian republics and Xinjiang. By extending its East‑West Railway from the Chinese border city of Kashi to Peshawar in Pakistan’s northwest, Beijing can receive cargo to and from Gwadar along the shortest route, from Karachi to Peshawar.
The rail network could also be used to supply oil from the Persian Gulf to Xinjiang. Pakistan’s internal rail network can also provide China with rail access to Iran. Rail access will however be hampered somewhat by differences in gauge: China and Iran ‑ 1435 mm; Pakistan ‑ 1676 mm; Central Asia ‑ 1524 mm.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan has earmarked 3000 acres (12 km²) of land for Gwadar International Airport which was being built 26 km away to the northeast of the existing airport towards Pasni and is likely to cost between $200‑250 million.

In 1958, the Gwadar enclave was transferred to Pakistan. It was then made part of the Balochistan province.

The region remained on the sidelines of history for a millennium, until the Arab‑Muslim army of Muhammad Bin Qasim captured the town of Gwadar in 711 CE and over the intervening (and nearly equivalent) amount of time the area was contested by various powers, including the Mughals (from the east) and the Safavids (from the west).
The Portuguese captured, sacked and burnt Gwadar in 1581 and this was then followed by almost two centuries of local rule by the various Balochi tribes.
The city was visited by Ottoman Admiral Sidi Ali Reis in 1550s and mentioned in his book Mirat ul Memalik (The Mirror of Countries), 1557 CE [6]. According to Sidi Ali Reis, the inhabitants of Gwadar were Baloch and their chief was Malik Jelaleddin, son of Malik Dinar.
In 1783, the Khan of Kalat granted suzerainty over Gwadar to Taimur Sultan,the defeated ruler of Muscat. When the Sultan subsequently retook Muscat, he was to continue his rule in Gwadar by appointing a Wali (or “governor”). This Wali was then ordered to subjugate the nearby coastal town of Chah Bahar (in modern‑day Iran). The Gwadari fort was built during Omani rule, whilst telegraph lines were later extended into the town courtesy of the British.

APP