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ISLAMABAD, Jul 25 (APP):Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Friday stated that with consistent investment, strategic policymaking, and improved infrastructure, Gwadar Port has the potential to generate over $850 million annually through value-added fisheries and date exports.
Chairing a high-level meeting on Gwadar Port operationalization attended by officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and representatives from relevant ministries and organizations including Gwadar Port Authority, Commerce, Industries, and Communication through Zoom, the minister laid out a comprehensive strategy to boost economic activities in Gwadar.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to utilizing local resources and empowering local businesses to operationalize Gwadar Port and stimulate the regional economy.
He emphasized that fisheries and dates are the key economic drivers of the region. “Gwadar has a rich fish catch potential, and we must focus on local value addition to maximize benefits,” he said.
He pointed out that 34 fish processing units are currently operating in Balochistan, but most require technological upgrades to meet export standards. “Transforming these units to add value through packaging and processing before exporting is critical for uplifting the sector,” he added.
The minister pointed out that Balochistan’s coastline makes up 76.2% of Pakistan’s total coastal length, yet its fish production significantly lags behind its actual potential.
“Balochistan has an estimated annual fish catch potential of around 300,000 tons. With proper value addition, this could generate approximately $645 million each year. However, current production is nearly half of that due to limited fishing capacity, obsolete technology, and regulatory hurdles,” he stated.
Turning to dates production, the minister stated that Panjgur and Turbat (Kech) districts together produce over 225,000 tons of dates annually—more than half of Pakistan’s total. “With value addition, the sector can generate up to $200–$205 million in revenue each year,” he said.
To support business and connectivity in the region, the minister announced steps to improve air travel. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will increase its weekly flights to Gwadar from one to three.
“Two weekly flights between Gwadar and Karachi and one between Gwadar and Islamabad are under consideration,” he said.
Furthermore, the possibility of introducing a chartered flight mechanism to facilitate travel for businesspersons and investors is also under consideration, the minister added.