During his one-day visit to Balochistan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lamented the “slow progress” in the development projects in Gwadar. He said that after several years, the work at Gwadar Airport is not yet complete and the locals still long for clean drinking water.
Addressing the Eastbay Expressway opening ceremony, the Pakistani PM said that the expressway will be used to transport goods and merchandise to Karachi. Eastbay is a part of a $1.1 billion development package for the city and the port. The six-lane urban motorway will connect Gwadar port with the city’s free-trade zone and the Makran Coastal Highway after its completion.
After assessing the developmental projects alongside Balochistan chief minister and the Chinese engineers, Shehbaz Sharif complained that the “slow pace” of the projects is “unsatisfactory.” He said that the airport project, which began in 2017, has not been completed.
The Pakistani premier said that the locals have no access to clean drinking water. He said that in the third phase of the developmental projects, the old and worn-out water pipes will be replaced across Gwadar. He also announced the instalment of a desalination plant in Gwadar that would supposedly supply filtered water to the residents.
The PM has reportedly said that he has directed Hasan Iqbal to meet with the ministers and officers and make sure that the projects are completed in time.