Welcome to the 1st & Only Free Gwadar Discussion Forum. You can post your messages/advertisements, ask questions, discuss topics, and get instant updates about GWADAR. This message board is ONLY for GWADAR related Real Estate and discussions.
*** Rules for Posting ***
1) All valued visitors please, include your name, and contact info while posting the messages/ads. Any reply(s) without proper name(s) will not be entertained.
2) Posts of Personal nature will not be allowed.
3) Direct or Indirect attacks/comments regarding any other Pakistani Real Estate site/forum will not be tolerated.
4) Please, don't abuse the forum, and respect other visitor's posts.
5) We reserve the right to ban any visitor(s) if they are found violating the rules.
6) Dealers please include your complete contact details in the message, and be fair while posting ads/offers.
Thursday, 9. September 2010 07:36 PM Thank you for visting GwadarCorner.com Discussion Board. We appreciate your visit.
Karachi -”Ship MV "NIRMAL GAUTAM" carrying 43,400 MT Urea has arrived at Gwadar Port and discharging has started immediately.
The above shipment has arrived in response to tender awarded to M/s. Gavilon Fertilizer, LLC on 07-06-2010 for import of 200,000 MT. TCP has already delivered 400,000 MT Urea to NFML for Kharif Crop.
KARACHI: The exploration at Reko Diq in Balochistan is expected to start by the year 2014.
Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) Public Relations Manager Samia Ali Shah said this in a detailed presentation on Reko Diq, at the one-day workshop, “Journalism for sustainable development: Tools and techniques for effective environment reporting” arranged by the Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan.
Shah said her company has completed all the basic requirements for exploration including the feasibility of the project.
The Australian copper exploration firm TCC has recently taken over the control of copper exploration site of Balochistan’s Reko Diq area located in the southwestern district of Chaghi, in collaboration with gold exploration company, Barrick Gold Corporation.
Shah disclosed that her company has so far spent $200 million on the project; however, the most important study for such mega projects, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) is yet to be completed. She added that Hagler Bailly Pakistan was carrying out the social and environmental impact assessment, while the public hearing would be held soon.
Talking about the details of the project, she said the Reko Diq field, according to an estimate, has total reserves of 5.9 billion tonnes, out of which 2.2 billion tonnes were of copper and 13 million ounces of gold.
On a question, she replied there were no hints for the presence of uranium in the area or near the site. She informed the company would establish a 700-kilometre long underground pipeline to pump powdered copper from the site to Gwadar port, from where the raw copper would be exported.
She said the company would prefer to provide employment to the locals, whereas after the start of exploration, the company would annually spend $10 million in the area for social uplift and development of community.
TCC EIA Manager Lucas Hekma said the project’s EIA would be completed very soon.
He said a road along the underground pipeline from the copper site to Gwadar would be constructed and it would be ensured that no any archaeological site, farmland or human settlements were affected.
LEAD-Pakistan Programme Development Department Manager Afia Salam and others also spoke on the occasion.
Trade with outside world mainly dependent on sea: Prime Minister attends "Shamsheer-e-Behr IV"
KARACHI (July 13 2010): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday said while our government is making sincere and all-out efforts for attaining lasting peace through dialogue and negotiations, it is of equal importance that the armed forces maintain credible deterrence and remain prepared against any aggression against our motherland.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of the Exercise Shamsheer-e-Behr at PNS Jauhar here. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Tariq Majeed, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Noman Bashir, Air Chief Marshal Rao Suleman Qamar, Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah were also present on the occasion. The Prime Minister said he was pleased to know that Shamsheer-e-Behr series of war game has been instituted as a regular feature.
He pointed out that importance of the war games needs no emphasis as they constitute an essential ingredient of military planning. The war games, Gilani added, allow the military commanders to take real stock of new imperatives on ground and undertake critical review of old doctrines and tactics.
He said these exercises also provide a forum to develop new concepts of war fighting through extensive brain storming and meeting the existing and upcoming challenges. The Prime Minister said that as a self-respecting nation we consider no sacrifice too great to secure the ideals of freedom and prosperity of the people. He stated that in spite of resource constraints, the government has the priority to meet requirements of the armed forces.
Gilani said he was glad to note that the exercise Shamsheer-e-Behr IV has been designed on realistic settings and taking into account the emerging realities. He stated that support of the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force for the maritime operations is well articulated in the war games.
The Prime Minister was sure that the lessons learnt from the exercise would be taken note of and further refined to formulate an effective and responsive Naval strategy in the future. He said we are all aware of the importance of the sea for the economic well being of a maritime nation. Gilani said that this is also significant for Pakistan because our trade with the outside world is sea dependent. He stated that Pakistan Navy is fully capable of maintaining our maritime interests.
The Prime Minister also pointed towards its unique geo-strategic location and said that Pakistan considers it an obligation to secure our area of responsibility from all sorts of threats. Gilani said the development of Gwadar Port and Coastal Highway and road network connecting the coastal cities will give impetus to the economic activities and process of development. He assured that government will provide all resources required for safeguarding Pakistan's maritime interests.
Afghans must open Wakhan corridor passes (Broghol, Irshad, Dilisang) to get trade deal
While Kabul is very optimistic about a Trade deal with Pakistan, Islamabad is a bit more cautious. There are several points of contention. Afghanistan should not be allowed any access to the sea unless and until it promoses to open the border passes in the Wakhan corridor which have been lying dormant for decades. The road links between Bharat (aka India) and Afghanistan have been buried, to be resurrected after a comprehensive peace deal has been signed between Bharat and Pakistan and Kashmir resolved. Afghanistan has come to grips that Pakistan will not allow Tata trucks laden with arms rumbling to Afghanistan so that the Bharati agencies in Afghanistan can arm the mercenaries and send them down to Pakistan from the Western borders.
Pakistan on Tuesday once and for all rejected Afghanistan’s demand of opening up its eastern borders to allow the landlocked state to trade with India, dimming prospects of an early agreement on a new transit trade treaty.
“The bone of contention is the language of the new draft agreement, as Afghanistan wants to insert a provision which would keep the door open for talks on the issue of trade with India,” explained an official of the ministry.
Pakistan’s official position on the matter was that the transit trade agreement is strictly between Islamabad and Kabul and that the issue of trade with India is a separate one. Express Tribune
APTTA 2010: Sea routes to Afghans, Central Asian access to Pakistan
The Wakhan corridor should be part of any Trade deal with Paksitan
Wakhian territory should be given back to Pakistan becuase it was illegally handed over to Afghanistan by the British.
Trade across the Wakhan corridor has languished because of neglect and incompetence. This was an essential part of the Silk route. Pakistan must have direct access to Tajiksitan.
Three of the passes the Broghol pass, the Irshad Pass and the Dilisang Pass are in varying levels of disuse. Any trade deal must address the opening of these three passes
'Pakistan, China cornerstone of stability in South Asia'
BEIJING (July 09 2010): President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday said that Pakistan and China together were the corner stone of stability in South Asia. He stated this during his meeting with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao. Both the leaders discussed whole gamut of Pakistan-China bilateral relations.
The two leaders reiterated the deep, strong ties between the two countries and vowed to further strengthen in the days ahead. Welcoming President Zardari and his delegation, the Chinese premier said, "This is your 5th visit to China and it demonstrates how much importance you accord to bilateral relations between our two countries."
President Asif Ali Zardari said that China had co-operated a lot during Benazir Bhutto's tenures. This time the PPP is again in power and Pakistan expects the same co-operation from China to help resolve the challenges the country is facing, he said.
The Chinese Prime Minister said that the 60th anniversary of Pak-China relations would be celebrated in cordial atmosphere. About the importance of geo-political position of Pakistan in the region, he said, Pakistan is an important country of the region and fighting the war against terrorism. The international community, he said, should come forward to help Pakistan and make its fight against terror a success.
Recalling his last visit to Pakistan, the Chinese premier said the people of Pakistan had accorded him a warm welcome. He expressed the desire to visit Pakistan soon. He said that both Pakistan and China would work together to bring the situation in Attaabad lake in Hunza to normal.
Zardari said that Pakistan wants connectivity to China through road link, oil pipeline and optic fibre. He said that Pakistan desires that China should take maximum benefits from Gwadar Port. "We can jointly think about reaching upward in Asia exploring those markets through Pakistan," he said.
The Chinese premier said, "I know you take more interest in construction of highways that can improve connectivity between the two countries." The President was accompanied by his two daughters, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari and members of his entourage. The president introduced members of his delegation to the Chinese premier. Pakistan ambassador to China Masood Khan was also present during the meeting.
Putting the Silk road on rails will be seminal event and transformative event which will fundamentally change the geography of the border between Pakistan and China. The Trans-Karakoram Rail line has moved beyond the feasibility stage and has now moved to the phase of “rubber meets the road”. The last time the Pakistani Rail officials visited China they were astounded by the amount of research the Chinese side had done on the project. The plan was originally proposed in 2004 and there has been tremendous progress on this line.
Not only will the rail line link Pakistan and China, it will also be expanded and will ink up Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and the other Central Asia Republics, hooking up the Asia Rialway which reaches Europe.
The 700 km rail link has been planned between Kashgar in China and Havelian in Pakistan across the Karakoram mountain ranges and the 4000 metre high Khunjareb pass in Pakistan.
During the 1970s, it built the Karakoram highway between Xinjiang and northern Pakistan.
Then, the railroad that connected the rest of China to TIbet’s capital city Lhasa. China now wants to extend this railroad right up to Nepal.
And now, the 700 km rail link from Kashgar in Xinjiang province to Havelian near Rawalpindi in northern Pakistan through Karakoram in Pakistan
After completing Havelian-Khunjerab track, China would link with Pakistan’s Gawadar Port.
This rail line is not the only one being planned. Rail lines are also being built to Dushambe and to Ferghana. The Turks, Iranians and the Pakistanis are also linking up Islamabad to Ankara via Tehran. Pakistani goods can thus travel to Europe without any hindrance, and Chinese and Central Asian goods can travel down to the warm waters of the Arabian sea.
The Chinese plans, according to reports, is to build the rail link to Pakistan and reach the Arabian sea through the Gilgit-Baltistan region in. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a feasibility study on building the Karakoram railway line is expected to be signed between Beijing and Islamabad during President Asif Ali Zardari’s current, ongoing visit to China. Pakistan’s General Manager Railways (operation) Ishfaq Khattak has joined Mr Zardari’s delegation and is expected to be a key player in this fantastic venture.
The pre-feasibility study has already been completed by two international consulting companies. The 628 km railway track is would connect all major cities on the Pakistani side, thus the rail line would hook up Kashgar to Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Sarghoda, Faisalabad, Karachi and of course Gwader. An international consortium would be working on the line.
Bharat is of course chagrined. Delhi’s concerns have all been ignored by the two countries.
The ever growing friendship and cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad is now once agian reaching new heights. The plan to build the rail link follows the Sino-Pakistan Civilian Nuclear deal.
Russia is also bulding roads and rial systems connecting Dushambe and Ferghana with Islamabad.
Karachi—The much needed Iran Gas Pipeline project seems to be in hot waters international pressures and the UN sanctions against Iran it is learnt.
If the project fails to materialize the government is considering to set up an LNG Terminal at Gwadar port as an alternative to Iran gas pipeline project which is being considered as the savior in the persisting energy crisis in the country.
Meanwhile Naim Sharafat, MD SSGC in a briefing to the members of the Senate Committee on Wednesday has said an LNG terminal will be set up in Gwadar to allow re-gasified LNG to the system if Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project is hampered due to sanction on Tehran.
It may be mentioned that the Senate Standing Committee for Petroleum and Natural Resources was given a comprehensive presentation on the status of the Iran-Pakistan Pipeline project by the officials of Interstate Gas Systems. This was the first Senate Committee meeting held at SSGC since Iran and Pakistan inked the historic agreement.
Iranian, Pakistani Officials Discuss Energy Cooperation
TEHRAN (FNA)- Tehran's Ambassador to Islamabad Mashallah Shakeri and Pakistani Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf discussed power exports to Pakistan
Based on the decision made between the two sides, the Pakistani minister will pay an official visit to Iran in August in a bid to sign an agreement on supplying electricity to Pakistan.
The Islamic republic news agency quoted an official in the Pakistani power ministry as stating that the feasibility report on the 1,000MW project would be completed this month.
"A 700km transmission line will be installed at a cost of $500mln," the official said, adding that the project was expected to be completed in five years.
Pakistan plans two projects for importing electricity from Iran. Work on a project to import 100MW for Gwadar in southwestern Balouchestan has already been initiated. The $3.1 million project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012.
Pakistan is already importing 39MW from Iran for border areas and Gwadar.
According to the statement issued after the two officials' meeting, the Iranian ambassador briefed the minister on a power transmission line from Iran to Gwadar.
The minister and the ambassador agreed that technical experts of both countries would examine the project, it said.
"It has been decided that Mr Ashraf will visit Iran within the next couple of months for further deliberation on the project and its early completion," the statement noted.
After completion of the feasibility report technical-level talks are expected to be held in the last week of July to decide the tariff.
LAHORE: Pakistan and China will likely ink a MoU for rail link between Havelian and Khunjerab.
The General Manager Railways (operation) Ishfaq Khattak has immediately left for China to join the official delegation of President Asif Ali Zardari for this purpose.
According to railways sources the GM operation left for China on Sunday for 12 days visit.
Pakistan and China have already completed a pre-feasibility report for rail link.
The total railway track would consist on 682 Km and there would be 20 railway stations at all major cities in Pakistani side, report revealed.
Chief Engineer Survey & Construction of Pakistan Railways told that the pre-feasibility report had completed by two international consulting companies including Ding Dona and ILF Consulting Engineering but no progress had made after 2004.
He said if two countries would be agreed for a MoU during the presidential visit an international consortium would be constituted for feasibility study and PCI.
After completing Havelian-Khunjerab track, China would link with Pakistan from Gawadar Port, he added. Dawn.com
Balochistan wants full utilisation of Gwadar port, says CM
He said this while attending a meeting held on Wednesday to discuss problems being faced in the operation of the Gwadar port. Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri, federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan and provincial Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd Gailu were present on the occasion.
Mr Raisani said that so long as the port’s facilities remained under-utilised desired economic results would be difficult to achieve.
He said keeping in view the fishing community’s woes the provincial government had prepared a plan to build two alternative fish harbours, one each at Sur-Bandar and Pishukan. He said PC1s of these projects had been sent to the Planning Commission for approval.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the performance of Port of Singapore Authority, the firm that has been leased out the Gwadar port for 40 years, Mr Raisani said the Balochistan government had reservations on the contract awarded by the Musharraf government.
“The Balochistan government would like to run the port itself,” the chief minister said. The federal minister for ports and shipping said that his ministry had no objection to the suggestion.
QUETTA: Chief Minister Nawab Mohammad Aslam Khan Raisani has said that people of Balochistan in general and those of Gwadar in particular have pinned lots of hopes on the country’s first deep sea port.
Baloch people have expectations from Gwadar Port: Raisani
* Balchistan CM says two fish harbours at Sur-Bandar and Pishukan will be constructed
Staff Report
QUETTA: The Baloch people have great expectations from the country's first deep-sea port at Gwadar, Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Nawab Aslam Raisani said on Wednesday.
The Balochistan CM made these remarks while presiding over a briefing on the problems being faced regarding the operation of the Gwadar Port at the Ministry of Ports and Shipping.The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader said that until the port was non-functional and underutilised, its full economic potential could not be achieved. Raisani said that the local population of Gwadar had suffered a lot, as their fishing activities were affected due to the construction of the port. "The local fishing community had been witnessing a substantial decrease in their fish catch, as the port area had been a breeding point for various fish varieties," the Balochistan CM said. He told the meeting that in order to solve the problems of the fishermen, the Balochistan government had started the construction of two alternate fish harbours at Sur-Bandar and Pishukan while the initial proposals of these projects had been sent to the Planning Commission for approval. The PPP leader expressed reservations on the performance of the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), which had leased the port for 40 years.
Raisani said that the Balochistan government was not happy with the contract, which was signed between the federal government and the PSA. He expressed the desire that the provincial government should operate the port itself.
I am not surprised that the funds are not iven for Gwadar Chaman Road. What's new about politicians, they just do lip service. Whay is that Baluchaistan Ministers do not see Prime Minister/President to push to get the money. NHA probably is thinking ways how to gobble up the money themselves.
Balochistan Assembly proceedings were suspended for 15 minutes on Tuesday when a number of provincial ministers staged a walk-out to protest against the alleged non-payment of funds by the federal government.
The speaker of the Balochistan Assembly suspended proceedings when lawmakers walked out of the session, saying the federal government and the National Highway Authority had not paid the funds they had promised Balochistan for the construction of certain highways
The minister for agriculture, Assad Baloch, raised the issue on a point of order, saying the government had allocated funds to build a road from Gwadar to Chaman when the Gwadar Port was established.
“A port is useless without a communication network,” he said.
He added that the Gwadar port was supposed to be connected to Chaman, a town bordering Afghanistan, but the road from Gwadar to Chaman via Panjgur had not been built for more than four years.
Yes, the current government is very poor, they have no any funds to help the effected areas of Blochistan, human rights are not the issue. On the other hand, they have a lot of funds to distribute among pakistan bar conciles for their own incentives, This is not the leaders attitude.This is the LOOT MAAR programme.
I think you are correct on not much will happen with Gwadar under the current Government. That is exactly what they want to achieve and will fulfil the wish of their masters, the USA. Unfortunately they play a lot of lip service but not much else.
Dear all, we are waiting since a long time that gwadar will develop soon & it will prosperous for whole nation. Also most of the eagle eye persons told on thsi forum that till 2010 every thing will be okay there. But now it seems that the situation is more worst. Federal government is not concenterating, they have there own political issues since first day. So we should not develop any hope in our mind atleast in the presence of this government because THIS IS DUFFER GOVERNMENT.
* Provincial finance minister says his govt also buying significant number of shares of OGDCL
* Eyes Rs 45billion annual revenue after installation of refinery at Reko Dik
By Mohammad Zafar
QUETTA: The Balochistan government is planning to buy all shares of Gwadar Port in order to secure full control of the strategic installation, Finance Minister Asim Kurd said while addressing a post-budget briefing at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday.
The minister said the government would buy the shares from the Singapore Port Authority and the National Logistics Cell and would also ask the federal government to help Balochistan take full control of the Gwadar deep sea port.
OGDCL: Kurd said that the government had allocated Rs 12 billion for investments in the Saindak and Reko Dik projects and for buying significant shares of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL).
He said the provincial government had established the Balochistan Investment Board for attracting foreign investors and the chief minister would chair the board himself and oversee its operations. “Highly professional people will be recruited to the BIB,” Kurd said.
He said Rs 1 billion had been allocated for the mining industry to build a refinery for separating gold from copper and other metals.
Earning: Kurd said the provincial government could earn as much as Rs 45 billion annually from the project in a few years once it becomes fully functional.
Presently, the minister said the blister copper was being taken to China where it was refined and the government of Balochistan was unaware of how much gold was being produced from Saindak.
He was of the view that by establishing refineries at the metal mining sites at Reko Dik and Saindak projects, the government would provide jobs to hundreds of people. The minister said the biggest achievement of the government was getting the “best NFC Award” that provided a huge sum of resources to the province.
“Earlier, Balochistan was being denied its legitimate share from the divisible pool, as well as the right price of its natural gas,” Kurd added.
With regards to job opportunities, he said all 38,000 applicants would get jobs in due course of time. “It is our responsible to provide jobs to the educated youth in the province,” the minister said to a question.
He said the provincial government would make efforts to provide jobs to 20,000 people during the next financial year with the cooperation of the federal government.
Kurd said Rs 30 million had been allocated for each MPA for their respective development programmes.
Like any country US is in Afghanistan because it is good for them in long run to get supply of natural resources. Pakistan needs to this one on their own with the help of their friends in the region. If you think anyone will help Pakistan out of the goodness of their heart from Western countries than as before Pakistan still is living in dream world. Take the destiny of your country in your own hands before it is too late. Most recent example is the news of the gas pipeline being effected by new sanctions by USA. The goal is to never let Gwadar and Baluchistan to gain benefit from its wealth. Energy is the backbone of any country and looks like everyone in the region is doing everything in their power to deprive Pakistan from basic needs of electricity because this will lead to industrial revolution in Balochistan. Looks like Mr. qureshi comments are in line with what US expects from Pakistan. What a pitty that people will keep on suffering with no end in site for their poverty and misery. Feel pitty for people who have suffered and will suffer in future.
Total Records:
3270 Records Viewed Per Page: 30
Monday, 19. July 2010 11:19 PM
HTML code is disabled