Construction of Gwadar Shipyard to soon be started: defence production minister

GWADAR: Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal on Sunday said construction of Gwadar Shipyard will soon be started after fulfilling all legal obligations regarding land acquisition.

She said this during her visit to the Gwadar Development Authority in Gwadar.

The minister said the government would make Gwadar Shipyard a source of development and generating revenue for the country.

She said the shipyard was vital for the Gwadar port and it would open up a new era of development in the area.

The Senate Standing Committee on Defence Production in October last year asked the ministry to expedite the completion of Gwadar Shipyard, aimed at facilitating the cargo ships likely to dock at Gwadar port in connection with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Terming Balochistan a future economic zone for economically sound nations, the committee said that the development work in future would herald bulge of employment opportunities for dwellers of the province.

The meeting was informed that the ministry was in constant contact with the Balochistan government while the Gwadar Development Authority had demarcated over 750 acres land for the project.

Secretary Defence Production Lt Gen (R) Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry said the department would be inviting International tenders and conducting feasibility of the project after getting the final approval of next Policy Board meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the shipyard has a potential to absorb the skilled workforce based in Balochistan.