KARACHI, April 5: Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Senator Babar Khan Ghauri has said that Manora and Bundal islands would be developed according to the international standards.
He was talking to journalists after inaugurating the Media Facilitation Centre at the PNSC Building here on Wednesday.
PNSC Chairman Admiral Tauqeer Hussain Naqvi and Media Advisor to the Minister Naveed Iqbal were also present.
The minister said that two bridges would also be constructed as a link between the city and the two islands. He said one of the bridges would connect Manora with Clifton and the other would serve as a link between Bundal island and Korangi Creek.
Furthermore, two five-star hotels, one each at Manora island and Mai Kolachi Road, would be established, he added.
The expression of interest has already been invited from various local and foreign companies of international repute for developing a Diamond Bar Island City at Bundal island, a project of the Port Qasim Authority. This city would be developed on the pattern of the Diamond Bar City in the US.
Mr Ghauri said that the work on the food street near Native Jetty would be completed within the next six months. The scheme has an estimated cost of Rs1 billion. He said 40 per cent of work for the food street, which would be Asia’s best one, had already been completed. The project had been designed by a US firm.
He said that chains of international restaurants would open their branches in the food street and a ship would also be permanently docked there to entertain visitors. He said the project of Port Tower to be established within the KPT limits had been re-tendered and its ground-breaking was likely to be performed by President Pervez Musharraf in May or June this year.
He said various development projects, especially of KPT, under the Ministry of Ports and Shipping had already been launched in the city and would be completed ahead of schedule.
The minister pointed out that KESC, KWSB and PTCL networks were causing some delay in executing these projects. However, he said, the utility organisations had been asked to shift their networks from the project sites at the earliest.
GWADAR PORT: Senator Ghauri said that the Gwadar Port will be operative in June this year and would be inaugurated by President Musharraf.
“Dredging of the navigational channel at 14.5 draughts will be completed in June next. The work on other chain facilities is also in the final phase. We will finalise the selection of private port operators within one month to start port operations after two months,” he said.
He said huge direct investment from abroad was expected in the port projects.
President Musharraf, during his recent visit to Gwadar, had ordered that the condition for foreign investors to acquire NOCs from different government agencies be dropped to facilitate investment there.
The government is trying to provide maximum incentives and facilities to the investors at Gwadar, he added.
When his attention was drawn to the delay in the reintroduction of the Karachi-Mumbai ferry service, the minister said it would be started as soon as the new shipping protocol between Pakistan and India was signed.
“From Pakistani side, everything is clear. There are now positive signals from other side. Most likely, we will go to India next month to ink this important agreement,” he said.
He revealed that three licences had already been issued to private firms to operate the ferry service and more could be issued if the situation demanded.
MEDIA CITY: Federal Shipping Minister Senator Babar Ghauri said that a ‘Media City’ would be established at Hawkesbay, near KPT, and would be equipped with all media-related facilities of international standards.—APP
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