By Agha Iqrar Haroon
Gwadar Port has become operational today (November 13, 2016) through launching China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Pilot Project–First Trade Convey.
First mega cargo shipment was seen off from Gwadar to Europe, indicating that Gwadar Port is now fully operational.
However, this port has a long history of inaugural ceremonies and operational days since the year 2006 and news related to these ceremonies used almost similar phrases and wordings like “Historic day as Gwadar Port becomes operational”.
Gwadar Port had been inaugurated four times before today and every ceremony claimed that it was “Operational Day”. However, November 13, 2016 was the real landmark day for the history of shipping in the region when first test run cargo load reached to Gwadar port through China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by covering a distance of around 3,000 Km from Xinjiang province of westernmost China.
The first test cargo load reached Gwadar Port Balochistan Pakistan through Karakoram Highway and cargo was unloaded from trucks and uploaded to ships for their final destinations of Europe and Middle East.
Gwadar Port and CPEC inaugurated officially by Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif, Chief of Pakistan Army Gen. Raheel Sharif, Chief Minister Balochistan Sanaullah Zehri and Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong.
Interestingly, this Gwadar Port became operational in newspapers on December 21, 2008 when unloading a ship which arrived from Qatar was portrayed as “official opening of business” from Gwadar Port. Credit for this opening was taken by the then Chief Minister Balochistan, Mohammad Aslam Raisani who made a speech at the ceremony of operational day. In fact, this event was just a photo session and nothing concrete was on ground.
Two ceremonies were reported in newspapers as well as in electronic media during the era of Gen ® Pervez Musharraf and third one was reported during caretaker setup and the fourth was reported by the PPP-led coalition government.
The first ceremony was reported when former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz attended a quizzical signing ceremony with the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) in early 2006. This occasion was also called a soft opening of the port.
Just after one month of this ceremony, former President Parvez Musharraf on March 23, 2006 held another ceremony to formally inaugurate the Gwadar Port. Over 35 air sorties were made by C-130 aircrafts and other VVIP aircrafts carrying members of parliaments, civil and military bureaucrats for this high profile imagination ceremony. Though nothing was on ground but this ceremony was portrayed in newspapers that shipping business had started from Gwadar Port. According to eye witnesses, a dummy container was unloaded and then Musharraf inaugurated the port.
The third ceremony took place during the caretaker set up when the then Ports and Shipping Minister Dr. Fahim Ansari went to Gwadar to inaugurate the unloading of wheat from a ship. This was another photo session “operational ceremony”.
In January 2009, the then Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Islam Raisin and State Minister for Ports and Shipping Nabil Gabol performed yet another ceremony when a vessel loaded with fertilizer was allowed berth at the Gawadar Port.
After so many fake ceremonies of “Operational Day of Gwadar Port”, at last the world saw a real and impressive ceremony of Gwadar Port and CPEC inaugurations that has written a new history of shipping and trade development in the region.
While addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif said that participants gathered at Gwadar Port to translate a dream into reality.
“CPEC is a fusion of Chinese President XI Jinping’s vision of one-region. We will leave no stone un-turned to complete projects under CPEC in time. Goal of peaceful region have been achievable through development. CPEC will bring prosperity in the region”, commented Nawaz. He appreciated the role of Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for timely completion of huge project.
Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong while addressing the ceremony said that arrival of trade convoy at Gwadar port is (was) new beginning of great force.
“We are thankful to Pakistan Army Chief and other army institutions for cooperation. Trade goods will be delivered to other countries from Gwadar port. More than ten thousand youth will get jobs from different projects. There was vital role of FWO in completion of pilot project”, he commented.
Now a new era of development has begun despite of constant conspiracies hatched by enemies to derail CPEC and Gwadar Port projects.
