Gwadar port to have transit shipment facility
QUETTA (March 31 2004): Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that transit shipment facility will be provided at Gwadar Port so that the businessmen could store their cargo for onward shipment to the Gulf States.
Addressing members of the Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Tuesday, he said that X-ray machines would be installed in Quetta, Chaman, Peshawar and Karachi to check smuggling of contraband items through containers.
He said that steps would be taken to promote tourism in Gwadar. Gwadar Airport is being extended where necessary modern facilities would be provided to the travellers with the assistance of Oman government. Chinese government is helping Pakistan in development of Gwadar Port, he added.
He said the economy has recovered and consolidated resulting in generation of tremendous job opportunities.
The finance minister said that with the strengthening of economy, Pakistan has broken the begging bowl and soon it would be out of the yoke of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Referring to other achievements in economy, he said that there was increase in agriculture production. Sugarcane crops have registered a record increase. Production of rice has also increased by 8 percent to 9 percent.
Industrial production has increased by 15 percent, while investment was also on the rise. Investments are coming in textile engineering, automobile and cement.
He said that textile machinery worth $3-4 billion has been imported.
Shaukat said that new factories would be set up during the next 10 years. There is also increase in per capita income. Some 0.4 million motorcycles and 0.1 million vehicles would be manufactured this year.
Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2004
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