KARACHI: Despite the coronavirus outbreak, activity at the Gwadar Port in Balochistan is underway and the first major shipment kickstarting the port’s operations is expected to arrive next month, officials confirmed.
One of the deepest seaports in the world, Gwadar is part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multibillion-dollar infrastructure project.
“All operations are underway in the port with all protective measures being taken,” Shabbir Ahmed, a spokesman for the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), told Arab News on Thursday.
He said the port is functional and “completely protected” from the virus, as no single case has been reported in the city of 138,000, where partial lockdown has been imposed as precaution.
Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani said the province had taken measures to protect the port from the virus to make the business go on as usual.
“We have taken measures for keeping the city safe from coronavirus. Quarantine and isolation wards have been setup to deal with COVID-19 cases,” he told Arab News.
The port is preparing to receive its first shipments for Afghan transit trade next month under the 2010 Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), the prime minister’s adviser on commerce, Abdul Razak Dawood, confirmed in a series of Twitter posts recently.
He said shipments of sugar, fertilizer and wheat will be transported in sealed trucks from the port to Afghanistan.
“The move will also jumpstart port operations in Gwadar Port and create the necessary eco-system for another big seaport of Pakistan,” he said.
While big business at the port is unaffected by the pandemic, Gwadar residents are suffering from the lockdown imposed to protect the mega-project’s operations.
“We are completely safe and no case of coronavirus has been reported. We want to cooperate with government as the disease will affect us all, but if the lockdown goes on without any help from the Pakistani and Chinese governments, it will affect majority of the city’s population,” Ghulam Hussain, president of the Gwadar Traders Association, told Arab News.
“Although the district administration has allowed limited opening of shops, the lockdown has already sent many people jobless,” he said.
According to the company that leads CPEC operations, China Overseas Pon Holding Company, it had sent a cargo ship with food relief for the city.
The company’s coordinator for social welfare projects, Baba Dadullah Yousuf, said the Gwadar district administration has been distributing the aid. Gwadar Port Authority’s Ahmed also told Arab News that 25 organizations have been involved in delivering food rations to villages.
Locals, however, say that although they have heard about the food shipment, they have yet to see it.
“We have heard that some food items have arrived in the port, but we are still waiting to receive them,” said Dad Kareem, a local fisherman. He told Arab News that to survive members of his community had no choice but to defy the lockdown and ban on fishing at sea.
Yet, the spokesperson of the Balochistan government said that authorities were looking after the needs of people everywhere including Gwadar.
“The government is extending every possible help to people in the lockdown situation,” he said.
Yousuf, representative of the Chinese company, said the process of distributing 34 tons of food items was still going on and soon around 1,200 deserving families would benefit from it.
Business as usual at Gwadar Port, but not for everyone
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Business as usual at Gwadar Port, but not for everyone
- Port is functional and ‘completely protected’ from the virus, authorities say
- CPEC operating company says food aid reached Gwadar to support residents amid lockdown
Protesters block key Pakistan-China trade route over power outages in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Residents report facing 20-hour outages despite the construction of several power stations
- Officials say the region relies on hydropower, which is disrupted in winter due to freezing rivers
KHAPLU, Gilgit-Baltistan: A key land route connecting Pakistan and China was blocked indefinitely by angry protesters in northern Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday, as hundreds of them staged sit-ins against prolonged power outages in the region.
The Karakoram Highway (KKH), a vital trade route between the two countries, was obstructed at Ali Abad, a significant point in the Hunza Valley. The area has witnessed a gradual increase in trade activity following an agreement between Pakistan and China to keep the Khunjerab Pass open year-round to facilitate economic exchanges.
Last month, Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation conducted its first international cargo transportation via the border, moving goods from China to the United Arab Emirates.
“Hunza is experiencing severe power outages,” Zahoor Ilahi, a protest leader from the Awami Workers Party, told Arab News over the phone. “That’s why we have blocked the Karakoram Highway.”
“The highway has been blocked for all kinds of traffic at Ali Abad since afternoon, and we will not end the sit-in until our demands are met,” he added. “The government is not running the thermal station generators, and all parts of Hunza are facing over 20 hours of power crisis.”
Protests were also held in other parts of Hunza, including Sost and Gulmit, with shutter-down strikes observed against the prolonged power crisis.
“There has been no progress in the power sector for the last three to four years in Hunza,” Rehan Shah, a local resident of the area, told Arab News. “The speed of work on the power projects is very slow, and all residents want an uninterrupted supply of electricity.”
Shah said the protests were jointly organized by various political parties and trade associations in the region.
Meanwhile, protests were also observed in other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, including Danyor in Gilgit city.
Speaking to Arab News, Advocate Ehsan Ali, president of the Awami Action Committee, said that most districts in the region were facing prolonged power cuts.
“The duration of the power crisis in Gilgit city is about 20 hours,” he said. “Skardu is facing 21 to 22 hours of power cuts, and Hunza is also experiencing the same. Similarly, districts like Ghizer and Chilas are also dealing with the worst kind of power outages.”
“Millions of rupees have been spent on power projects, but unfortunately, none are producing enough electricity,” he said. “In the 21st century, electricity is still unavailable here.”
Hamid Hussain, an engineer at the Gilgit-Baltistan Water and Power Department, acknowledged the issue but attributed it to technical reasons, saying the region heavily relied on hydropower, which often faced disruption in winter due to the freezing of rivers and lakes.
“There are 137 power stations in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he told Arab News. “The installed capacity of these power stations is 190 megawatts. However, power generation is 140 megawatts during the summer while 76 megawatts during the winter due to the low flow of water.”
“The residents of Hunza are demanding thermal generators,” he added. “But we can’t run them due to financial reasons. There are many thermal generators in Gilgit, but we can’t fulfill people’s demand due to the high fuel cost.”
Hussain said his department would run the thermal generators to reduce the power crisis if the government decided to release funds.
Pakistan’s Saim Ayub ruled out of second South Africa Test after twisting right ankle
- Ayub fell awkwardly in the outfield and was visibly in lot of pain as he received brief treatment on the ground
- South Africa dominated the day 1 at Newlands and piled up 316 for four, with Ryan Rickelton hitting 176 not out
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan had an injury scare when opening batter Saim Ayub twisted his right ankle on the field on day 1 of the second and final Test against South Africa on Friday.
Ayub fell awkwardly in the outfield and was visibly in lot of pain as he received brief treatment on the ground before he was rushed to a hospital for precautionary scans.
The opening batter has been ruled out of further participation in the second Test, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“Saim underwent X-rays and MRI tests this afternoon and the reports have been sent to specialists in London for further advice on the treatment and time away from competitive cricket,” the PCB said in a statement.
South Africa dominated the day 1 of the second Test at Newlands and piled up 316 for four, with Ryan Rickelton hitting 176 not out. He shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 235 with his captain, Temba Bavuma, who made 106.
South Africa have already sealed a place in June’s World Test Championship final with a dramatic two-wicket win in the first test at Centurion.
Pakistan issues 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for Hindu saint’s birth anniversary in Sindh
- Shiv Avtari Sant Shadaram Sahib was born in 1708 in Lahore, which is now part of Pakistan
- Pakistani charge d’affaires in India says his country is committed to facilitating devotees
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi announced on Friday the issuance of 94 visas to Indian pilgrims to attend the birth anniversary of a revered 18th-century Hindu spiritual leader in the southern province of Sindh.
Shiv Avtari Sant Shadaram Sahib was born in 1708 in Lahore, now part of Pakistan. Known for his spiritual teachings and emphasis on universal love, he is believed to be an incarnation of Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism, by his followers.
His most notable legacy is the founding of Shadani Darbar, a prominent Hindu temple and spiritual center located in Hayat Pitafi, situated in Ghotki District, which became a pilgrimage destination.
“@PakinIndia has issued 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for their visit to Pakistan to participate in the 316th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Shiv Avtari Stguru Sant Shadaram Sahib, at Shadani Darbar Hayat Pitafi, Sindh from 05-15 January 2025,” the high commission posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
It mentioned that the Charge d’Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich wished the pilgrims a “rewarding and fulfilling journey,” emphasizing Pakistan’s commitment to preserving sacred religious sites and facilitating pilgrimages.
Religious tourism remains a key aspect of cultural exchanges between India and Pakistan, governed by the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines. This agreement allows devotees from both countries to visit sacred sites, including Hindu temples in Pakistan and Islamic shrines in India. However, political tensions between the two nations have at times disrupted these exchanges, with instances where visas were denied to religious pilgrims.
In recent years, Pakistan has actively promoted religious tourism, welcoming Buddhist monks as well as Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India and across the globe. The inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019, which allows visa-free travel for Indian Sikhs to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, is a significant milestone in these efforts.
Each year, a large number of Indian Sikhs also travel to Pakistan to pay homage at sacred sites, including Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Samadhi in Lahore, the last resting place of the founder of the Sikh Empire, and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, revered for its connection to Guru Nanak.
Pakistan launches IT training portal with Huawei to build digital skills among youth
- Shaza Fatima Khawaja says it is vital to equip Pakistani youth with necessary skills to bolster the economy
- The training program will use Huawei’s resources and global expertise to deliver comprehensive education
ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Friday stressed the importance of equipping youth with digital skills as the IT ministry, in collaboration with Huawei, launched a training portal to develop a more technologically skilled workforce, the state media reported.
The government views information technology as a driver of economic change, seeking to transform the sector into a cornerstone of its strategy for financial stability. Pakistan has earmarked IT as a priority sector, courting foreign investment from countries like China and the Gulf states.
“The main objective of this program is to impart training to our youth, making them eligible for jobs and enabling them to contribute to the country’s development,” Khawaja was quoted by the Associated Press of Pakistan as saying at the launch of the portal.
“To bolster the economy, it is essential to equip our young population with the necessary training and skills,” she added.
The minister emphasized the importance of IT in the modern age, pointing out that the government was also setting up e-employment centers and e-libraries.
Highlighting the country’s potential in the field, Khawaja noted that over 150 million young people in Pakistan were under 30, adding that they could play a critical role in driving economic progress.
The minister announced the formation of a National IT Skills Committee, comprising representatives from IT boards and provincial ministries, to strengthen governance and coordination in the sector.
Huawei’s Deputy CEO Ahmed Bilal Masud highlighted the company’s commitment to fostering digital literacy and bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry needs.
“By investing in the future of our youth, we are paving the way for a skilled workforce that will drive Pakistan’s economic growth and technological advancement,” he said.
He informed that the training program would utilize Huawei’s extensive resources and global expertise to deliver comprehensive education for students and trainers, aiming to enhance ICT education nationwide and promote digital transformation in Pakistan.
Pakistan naval chief lauds fleet readiness, highlights role in securing vital maritime zones
- Admiral Naveed Ashraf witnesses Pakistan Navy’s annual efficiency competition parade in Karachi
- Ashraf praises officers and sailors for achieving the operational objectives and milestones in 2024
ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Friday expressed satisfaction with the operational readiness of Pakistan’s fleet, highlighting its critical role in safeguarding strategic maritime zones, including Gwadar Port developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), to boost trade and regional connectivity.
The Gwadar Port, a vital link in Pakistan’s efforts to enhance regional trade, has been at the center of the country’s push to convince landlocked Central Asian states to utilize its ports for international trade via sea lanes.
The navy has also been instrumental in fostering the development of Pakistan’s blue water economy, ensuring maritime security and facilitating economic growth.
“Chief of the Naval Staff expressed complete satisfaction and confidence in the operational readiness of Pakistan Navy Fleet,” the navy said in a statement after holding fleet annual efficiency competition parade. “He lauded the dedication and professionalism of officers and sailors in safely and efficiently achieving the operational objectives and milestones for the year 2024.”
“He highlighted Pakistan Navy’s efforts to ensure the security of strategic maritime zones, particularly Gwadar Port and maritime projects under CPEC,” it added.
The parade was held at the dockyard in Karachi. The naval chief attended the event as the chief guest and elaborated on the evolving maritime security challenges in the region.
He also stressed the need for the navy to remain vigilant and prepared to counter any threats to Pakistan’s maritime boundaries.
Earlier, Commander Pakistan Fleet Rear Admiral Abdul Munib, in his welcome address, highlighted the fleet’s operational achievements over the past year.
Awards and trophies were presented to the best-performing squadrons and units during the ceremony, recognizing their exemplary contributions to the navy’s operational success in 2024.
