Pakistan mulls routes as it eyes new ferry service between Gwadar and Gulf region
The statement came after a meeting presided over by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry to review matters relating to the proposed ferry service.
Officials at the meeting reviewed technical and financial aspects of ferry operations, according to the ministry. Five privately-owned firms submitted their proposals, showing growing interest of the private sector.
'The ferry service will promote regional connectivity and trade,' Chaudhry was quoted as saying by his ministry. 'It is expected to ease movement of passengers and goods from Gulf countries.'
Gwadar, situated along the Arabian Sea, lies at the heart of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), under which Beijing has funneled tens of billions of dollars into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan.
Pakistani officials say the geostrategic location of the southwestern Pakistani coastal town in the Balochistan province offers the shortest trade route to the Gulf and landlocked Central Asian states, highlighted its potential as a regional transshipment hub.
During the meeting, Chaudhry telephoned Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and discussed provincial cooperation with him, according to the maritime affairs ministry. Bugti assured his full cooperation for the project.
'The ferry service will highlight Gwadar on the international maritime map,' Chaudhry added.
The development comes amid Pakistan's efforts to capitalize on its geostrategic location to boost transit trade as it slowly recovers from a macroeconomic crisis under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
The country also plans to cut container dwell time at its seaports by up to 70 percent to improve trade competitiveness and ease congestion, while it last month reduced port charges for exporters by 50 percent at the second largest Port Qasim.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Argaam
an hour ago
- Argaam
Trading on Future Vision suspended on request
The Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) suspended trading of Future Vision Health Training Co. 's shares from 10:00 am to 01:00 pm today, July 28, at the company's request and in adherence to the listing and trading suspension rules, in preparation for the disclosure of a material event. Tadawul also announced that the order maintenance period will start at 12:30 pm today.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
‘Sports must go on,' says ex-Indian captain on Asia Cup cricket clash with Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Former captain and ex-Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Saurav Ganguly has backed India playing Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup tournament in the UAE, saying that 'sports must go on' despite surging tensions between the two countries. Pakistan and India are set to lock horns in the upcoming Asia Cup tournament to be played from September 9-28. The two traditional archrivals are expected to meet each other on the cricket field on September 14 in a high-stakes group clash to be held in the UAE. India and Pakistan have not hosted each other for a bilateral series in over a decade, with political and security concerns consistently spilling over into cricketing ties. Former Indian cricketers, including Head Coach Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan, have publicly called for India to boycott matches against Pakistan after the two countries engaged in a brief military conflict in May. 'Yeah, I'm okay, I'm okay. Sport must go on,' Ganguly told Asian News International on Sunday. 'At the same time Pahalgam must not happen but sports must go on.' The former BCCI president was talking about an attack on April 22 at Pahalgam, a tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir, where gunmen killed 26 people. The incident sparked an armed conflict between the two countries, with New Delhi blaming Islamabad for supporting the attack. Pakistan denied the allegations and called for an international, transparent inquiry into the incident. India and Pakistan enjoy one of the fiercest sports rivalries when it comes to cricket. Separated after partition in 1947, both nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars against each other over the past seven decades, with diplomatic ties between them remaining mostly bitter. The political tensions make for an enthralling contest every time the two teams compete against each other. India and Pakistan clashes have been the biggest, quickest-selling and most anticipated matches of every multilateral cricket tournament, drawing thousands to stadiums across the globe and millions to TV sets worldwide.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan hopes for ‘meaningful outcomes' ahead of high-level UN summit on Palestine today
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has expressed the hope for achieving 'meaningful outcomes' ahead of a high-level United Nations summit on Palestine scheduled to convene today, Monday, at New York. The event — officially titled the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution — will be co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France from July 28-29. The conference arrives amid worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza and a historic diplomatic shift: France's decision to formally recognize Palestine as a state. Israel's war on Gaza has killed over 57,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023. The conference takes place a day after Israel declared a 'tactical pause' in fighting in parts of Gaza on Sunday and said it would allow the UN and aid agencies to open secure land routes to tackle a deepening hunger crisis. Dar spoke to Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday to discuss the 'grave' humanitarian situation in Gaza impacting millions of Palestinians, Pakistan's foreign office said on Sunday. 'He expressed the hope of achieving meaningful outcomes from the high-level international conference on Palestine and implementation of the two-state solution scheduled to be held in New York tomorrow,' the foreign office said. The two diplomats also exchanged views about a 'high-level visit' to Pakistan in the near future, the statement said without elaborating further. One of the most consequential developments ahead of the conference is French President Emmanuel Macron's July 24 announcement that France will formally recognize Palestine, with the official declaration to be made at the UN General Assembly in September. Analysts say France's move could tip the balance internationally. Already, 147 of 193 UN member states — nearly 75 percent — recognize Palestine, including nearly all of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. France would be the first G7 country to join that group. The US, Canada, Australia, Germany, and the UK still do not, citing the need for direct negotiations with Israel. The conference will convene foreign ministers and diplomats from dozens of countries and will build upon the work of eight working groups, each focusing on areas such as security, humanitarian aid, and post-war reconstruction. A follow-up summit is planned in September at the UN General Assembly, to be co-chaired by President Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
