Ahsan Iqbal directs expediting work on Gwadar Power Plant

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to expedite the construction of the Gwadar Power Plant.

The minister issued directives while chairing a huddle in Islamabad to review the progress on the project.

Supply of electricity is essential in Gwadar and no delay will be accepted in this regard, he added.

Iqbal said that the development of Gwadar Port City, New Gwadar International Airport and East Bay Expressway will transform Gwadar into a maritime trade hub for the region and will boost industrialization in Balochistan.

The minister expressed confidence that all major projects under CPEC in Gwadar, including Gwadar Power Plant, distribution of 2000 Boat engines to fishermen of Gwadar, Khuzdar-Panjgur Transmission line (via Nag-Basima) which connect Markran with National Grid, New Gwadar International Airport Project, the China-Pak Friendship Hospital, China-Pak Technical and Vocational Institute in Gwadar, the Gwadar East-bay Expressway Project, Gwadar Free Zone, and Gwadar Port would become a shining pearl in the region.

During the tenure of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), he said several projects were completed by the then government in Gwadar particularly related to water and electricity that were neglected by the previous government deliberately. “Besides, in budget 2023-24, the allocation of development funds for Balochistan had been doubled,” the minister remarked.