China has voiced strong concerns over Pakistan’s delays in transferring 97 acres of Gwadar Port land and the delay has emerged as the key sticking point amid Pakistan’s economic constraints.
As the Chinese prime minister prepared to visit Pakistan, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs was directed to expedite land clearance for the China Overseas Ports Holding Company (COPHC). While most of the 2,281 acres allocated to COPHC have been transferred, 97 acres remain under the Pakistan Navy and Coast Guard due to security concerns.
China has also requested a joint security mechanism to safeguard its workers, with both countries considering an integrated intelligence-sharing setup. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior is actively collaborating with Chinese authorities to formulate a comprehensive security solution.
Moreover, the federal cabinet has ratified a proposal by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to direct all the government departments to route 50% of their imports such as fertilizer, sugar, and wheat via the Gwadar port. Before this, the Prime Minister had instructed the directives to hike the Gwadar port operations to guarantee the development and prosperity of the Balochistan province. He also gave instructions that 50% of all public sector imports should be clarified via the Gwadar port.
The meeting of the Cabinet was carried out here under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Cabinet also instructed to hike the volume of exports from the Gwadar port in the upcoming future. A subcommittee of the Cabinet is anticipated to be established to submit a quarterly report on imports and exports via the Gwadar port to the Cabinet.
Read more: China provides equipment of early warning system to Gwadar port
The Cabinet on the suggestion of the Ministry of Communications ratified the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka and Pakistan for the issuance of a commemorative postal stamp to highlight the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Ministry of Industries and Production highlighted a report from the Cabinet Committee on sugar exports. The Cabinet highlighted the satisfaction that due to a well-timed decision on sugar exports, the country not only got remarkable foreign exchange, but sugar prices remained stable and sugarcane farmers were adequately given the reward for their effective efforts.
The Cabinet on the suggestion of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs also ratified the reconstitution of the Board of Directors of the Korangi Fish Harbor Authority, Karachi. The Cabinet has given instructions that all provinces must be given representation on such government boards. Furthermore, the Cabinet instructed that any government-owned corporations or companies with incomplete boards must be fully established as soon as feasible.
On the suggestion of the Ministry of National Health Services, the Cabinet ratified the appointment of Muhammad Yaqoob, Assistant Director of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, as the Federal Inspector of Drugs, in Balochistan. Similarly, on the suggestion of the Planning Ministry, the Federal Cabinet ratified an amendment to the Cabinet Resolution dated 30 October 2013 regarding the appointment of Planning Commission members from the open market.
Under this amendment, the salaries of Planning Commission members are anticipated to be set under the Special Professional Pay Scale II, SPPS-II rather than the Management Pay Scale. Additionally, the Cabinet also decided to ratify the salary of the Chief Economist of the Planning Commission to be appointed from the open market under the Special Professional Pay Scale I SPPS-1.