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History
| Demography |
Climate of Gwadar | Culture |
Transport |
Geopolitical Importance | Economic
Forecasts | Development Projects |
Port Operations
 Gwadar was notified as a district on July 1, 1977 when Makran Division was
created and divided into three districts. Gwadar is the headquarters of
Gwadar District. Previously it was one of 3 tehsils of Makran District
before the district was upgraded to a division. For administrative purposes,
the district is divided into two sub-divisions, namely Gwadar and Pasni.
These sub-divisions are further divided into tehsils and sub-tehsils. Gwadar
sub-division comprises two tehsils, named Gwadar and Jiwani, and one sub-tehsil
named Suntsar. Pasni sub-division is divided into Pasni and Ormara tehsils.
Gwadar district, with its 600 kilometres long coast line and un-irrigated
tracts of Kulanch and Dasht valleys, has always been an important chapter of
Makran’s history.
Gwadar is located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, on the Arabian Sea.
It is strategically located between three increasingly important regions:
the oil-rich Middle East, heavily populated South Asia and the economically
emerging and resource-laden region of Central Asia. The Gwadar Port was
built on a turnkey basis by China and signifies an enlarging Chinese
footprint in a critically important area. Opened in spring 2007 by then
Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, in the presence of
Chinese
Communications Minister Li Shenglin, Gwadar Port is now being expanded into
a naval base with Chinese technical and financial assistance. Gwadar Port
became operational in 2008, with the first ship to dock bringing 52000
tonnes of wheat from Canada. Minister of Ports and Shipping Sardar Nabil
Ahmed Khan Gabol officially inaugurated the port on 21 December 2008. China
has acknowledged that Gwadar’s strategic value is no less than that of the
Karakoram Highway, which helped cement the China-Pakistan nexus. In addition
to Gwadar serving as a potential Chinese naval anchor, Beijing is also
interested in turning it into an energy-transport hub by building an oil
pipeline from Gwadar into Chinese-ruled Xinjiang. The planned pipeline will
carry crude oil sourced from Arab and African states. Such transport by
pipeline will cut freight costs and also help insulate the Chinese imports
from interdiction by hostile naval forces in case of any major war.
Commercially, it is hoped that the Gwadar Port would generate billions of
dollars in revenues and create at least two million jobs. In 2007, the
government of Pakistan handed over port operations to PSA Singapore for 25
years, and gave it the status of a Tax Free Port for the following 40 years.
The main investors in the project are Pakistani Government and People's
Republic of China. China's plan to be engaged in many places along oil and
gas roads is evident.
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History
 The Makran region surrounding Gwadar was occupied by an ancient Bronze age
people which settled in the few oases. It later became the Gedrosia region
of the Achaemenid Persian empire. It is believed to have been conquered by
the founder of the Persian empire, Cyrus the Great. The capital of the
satrapy of Gedrosia was Pura, which is thought to have been located near the
modern Bampûr, in Iranian Balochistan. During the homeward march of
Alexander the Great, his admiral, Nearchus, led a fleet along the modern-day
Makran coast and recorded that the area was dry, mountainous, and inhabited
by the "Ichthyophagoi" (or "fish eaters"), an Greek rendering of the ancient
Persian phrase "Mahi khoran" (which has itself become the modern word "Makran").
After the collapse of Alexander's empire the area was ruled by Seleucus
Nicator, one of Alexander’s generals. The region then came under "local
rule" around about 303 BC.
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 . 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.
Until 1958 Gwadar was part of Oman but was transferred to Pakistan on 8
September 1958. The Gwadar enclave sold to Pakistan (effective 8 December
1958). It was integrated within the Balochistan (Pakistan) on 1 July 1977
and became a full sub-division of the Gwadar District.The money for the
purchase was generated by way of taxation and donations. It was then made
part of the Balochistan province. In 2002, the Gwadar Port project (of
building a large, deep-sea port) was begun in the town. The government of
Pakistan intends to develop the entire area in order to reduce its reliance
in shipping on the port of Karachi. In addition to expanding port
facilities, the Project aims to build industrial complexes in the area and
to connect the town via a modern highway to the rest of Pakistan. By the end
of 2004 the first phase had been completed.
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History of Pakistan
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Demography
According to the 1998 census the population of Gwadar District was 178,989
of whom 93% were Muslim with a small minority of Hindus, the population was
estimated to be over 250,000 in 2005. The major Baloch tribes of the
district are Kalmati, Raees, Zeno Zai, Poz Hoth and Shehzada.
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Climate of Gwadar
Gwadar is at 0-300 meters above sea level, is dry arid hot. The oceanic
influence keeps the temperature lower than that in the interior in summer
and higher in winter. The mean temperature in the hottest month (June)
remains between 31°C and 32°. The mean temperature in the coolest month
(January) varies from 18°C to 19°C. The uniformity of temperature is a
unique characteristic of the coastal region in Balochistan. Occasionally,
winds moving down the Balochistan plateau bring brief cold spells, otherwise
the winter is pleasant. In Gwadar, winter is shorter than summer. Although
Gwadar is not a monsoon region it still receives light monsoon showers
coming from Karachi. But in winter, Western Disturbance can cause heavy
Showers. Annual rainfall is only 100mm (3 inches).
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Culture
 Gwadar's location and history have given it a unique blend of cultures. The
Arabic influence upon Gwadar is strong as a consequence of the Omani era and
the close proximity of other Arab-majority regions. The legacy of the Omani
slave trade is observed in the population by the presence of residents which
can trace their descent from the African slaves who were trafficked through
the town. The area also has a remarkable religious diversity, being home to
not only Sunni and Zikri Muslims, but also to groups of Christians, Hindus,
Parsis, and various minorities such as the Ahmadies.
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Transport
Gwadar CityGwadar is located on the Gulf of Oman close to the entrance of
the Persian Gulf, about 460 kilometres west of Karachi. In 1993, Pakistan
started feasibility studies for the development of a major deepwater seaport
at Gwadar. The port project commenced on 22 March 2002 with the first phase
completed in December 2005.
The construction of the port has spurred other major infrastructure projects
in the area. This includes the 700 km Makran Coastal Highway which is now
complete. The road links Karachi with several ports along the coast
including Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar and will be extended to the Iranian border
in the future. The highway has reduced travel time to Karachi from 48 hours
to only 7 hours. Other road projects include the Gwadar-Quetta-Chaman road
which is due for completion in 2006 and a roadlink to the town of Khuzdar in
eastern Balochistan. There are also plans for a terminal for passenger
ships.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan has earmarked 3000 acres (12 km²)
of land for Gwadar International Airport which will be built 26 km away to
the northeast of the existing airport towards Pasni and is likely to cost
between $200–250 million. The new airport will be given international status
and operate under the open sky policy. In the meantime there are plans to
improve facilities at the existing airport.
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Railways
Former Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said, “The government is
focusing on laying the Havelian-Kashghar (China) and Quetta-Kandahar
(Afghanistan) railway tracks”. In 2006, Ministry of Railways announced
that Gwadar will be connected to Pakistan Railways network at an expected
cost of $ 1.25 billion (Rs. 75-billion).
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Geopolitical Importance
The Gwadar deep-sea port emerges as a place of great strategic value,
enhancing Pakistan's importance in the whole region, extending from the
Persian Gulf through the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia and the Far East.
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.
The construction of the Gwadar deep-sea port is just one component of a
larger development plan which includes building a network of roads
connecting Gwadar with the rest of Pakistan, such as the 650 km Coastal
Highway to Karachi and the Gwadar-Turbat road (188 km). This network of
roads connects with China through the Indus Highway. Pakistan, 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
The Pakistani Government has initiated several projects, with majority
financial and technical assistance from China, to develop Gwadar's strategic
location as a goods transit and trade point. The primary project is the
construction of a deep-sea port at Gwadar to enable high-volume cargo
movement to and from the landlocked Central Asian states. The new port will
also encompass conversion facilities to allow for the movement of natural
gas as a part of plans for a termination point for the
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan natural gas pipeline. The secondary
project is a coastal highway connecting Gwadar to Karachi, whose $200
million cost will be completely financed by the Chinese. Gwadar will serve
as a port of entry for oil and gas to be transported by land to the western
regions of China.
The project's fate is tied to the decentralization of government in
Pakistan. If an agreement is brokered with the Baluch, the Pakistani
military will gain a strategic depth southwest from its naval base in
Karachi that has long been vulnerable to blockade by the Indian Navy. 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.
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Economic Forecasts
The government declared Gwadar port a "Special Economic Zone" in the budget,
2003-2004. All banks will open their branches, five star hotels has already
been be built and are operational, offshore banking will be started,
factories, warehouses and storage will be set up, the tourism industry will
be promoted in the area, an export processing zone will be set up, making
Pakistan a very attractive place for direct foreign investment, and Gwadar
port a regional hub of trade and investment activities.
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Development Projects
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Oman
Oman has offered $100 million aid for the development of social and
infrastructure facilities in Balochistan. Out of $100 million, Oman has
provided $7 million for extending of runway at Gwadar Airport,
construction of jetties, upgradation of Gwadar Hospital, provision of 100
engines to fishermen and construction of power house. Oman is also
financing construction of Gwadar-Hoshab Road, water supply scheme in
Gwadar area and construction of irrigation dams.
Pakistan and Oman have signed a number of agreements including Avoidance
of Double Taxation, Promotion and Protection of Investment, Cultural,
Technical and Educational Cooperation, Agreement on cooperation between
Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and FPCCI, Maritime Boundary
Agreement and Agreement to establish Pak-Oman Joint Investment Company.
Around 70,000 Pakistani citizens work in Oman.
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Pakistan
Pakistan through networking of roads is linking Gwadar with Karachi and
the north to enable the Central Asian States to use Gwadar as a port for
their trade. Water supply is being improved, seven jetties are being
constructed and local fishermen are being given motor engine run boats.
The local hospital is also being upgraded.
A number of electric power generation projects are also being carried out
in Gwadar and in its surroundings. The Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO),
a subsidiary of the Wapda, has geared up the work for building the power
transmission line. It is expected to be completed soon. Recently Iran is
providing 300 MW of electricity to Makran Area
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Airport
Main article: Gwadar International Airport
Gwadar has a big airport for commercial aircrafts. There is a need for the
expansion of the airport and enlargement of its runway to facilitate the
landing of wide body aero-planes. CAA has been directed to upgrade the
Gwadar Airport for the landing of jet planes by the end of 2004. Gwadar
port will be open air and after its inauguration the jet planes shall be
landing at the Gwadar airport. A sum of 2.3 million dollars is being
utilized from Omani grant. The Pakistan government and the Civil Aviation
Authority are also contributing additional Rs563.35 million for this
purpose.
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Dry Port
A dry port in the Sino-Pakistani border town of Sust, 200 km north of
Gilgit, was constructed in 2004 at a cost of Rs 90 million. Soon,
President Musharraf announced that the state of the art facility would be
linked to Gwadar via the Karakoram Highway. According to the president,
this provides parts of China with the shortest access to Pakistani deep
sea ports, and the Middle East.
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Rice Zone
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP)-apex body of the rice
exporters in the country- has decided to establish a rice zone in Gwadar
to fetch the opportunities in the area after the construction of new port.
The establishment of warehouses will provide extraordinary facilities to
rice exporters especially for those who export rice to Iran as the Iranian
border is only at a distance of three hours from Gwadar.
rs and other plants have been installed in addition to a 50 MW
power-house. 33 km railway line from Taftan to Saindak has also been laid.
The Chinese company MRDL has so far invested $25 million (Rs 1.5 billion)
on the project.
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Trans-Afghan Gas
Pipeline
The 1400 km Trans-Afghan Gas Pipeline (TAP) from Turkemenistan to
Gwadar(Pakistan), a long-dormant project that would pump Turkmen natural
gas to markets in South Asia, may finally be poised to begin at a cost of
$3 billion. The Government has announced that a massive defense facility
will be constructed in the city in order to guarantee the security of the
area. The Government has also announced that a new shipbuilding centre
will be built at Gwadar, with an as-yet unspecified international partner.
Port Operations
Port of Singapore was scheduled to take over management of Gwadar Port by
the end of January 2007. Port of Singapore was the highest bidder for the
Gwadar port after DP World backed out of the bidding process. Originally,
the chairman of Dubai Ports World, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who met
Pakistani president General Pervez Musharraf on May 5, 2006, expressed a
strong hope for management of facilities at the strategic Gwadar deep sea
port and development of infrastructure in the southern port city and
elsewhere in Pakistan. But a decision was taken not to bid, after India’s
National Security Council voiced concerns about DP World’s ventures in
India, alongside its plans in Pakistan, and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem assured
the Indians their pull-out was well considered and India need not have any
security concerns. The port will now be in competition with that of Dubai in
the United Arab Emirates.
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