After seventy years, we have opened a second border crossing with Iran; at Gwadar. This is a historic moment, one that has long-term potential benefits for people on both sides of the border. Alongside regional ramifications that stand to connect high-volume trade centres with one another, Taftan has long been under constant pressure to handle any and all Pak-Iran trade, which is why this new crossing might just be a game-changer. Of course, this also helps in the region realising its goal of greater connectivity.
China’s one-belt-one-road, investment in Gwadar and Chabahar, and now an avenue to move goods on land as well as on sea through the coastal city—alongside the existing sea route and route into the rest of Pakistan—makes the network more extensive and potentially prosperous.
However, there are still some issues left to iron out within Gwadar itself. The old problem of the provision of basic utilities continues to be a stumbling block in the development of the city. Residents of Gwadar must receive the same quality of services such as electricity, water supply, healthcare and education as the most developed cities in Pakistan. In order to make it truly thriving, we need to guarantee a good quality of life to all residents.
The recent fencing decision is also one that could be revisited. Security matters, in real terms and perception, and imposing fences with barb wire in places does not really spell out safe and secure; it instead looks more imposing. Gwadar must be made a modern city with modern amenities; to attract foreign investors, the city must not take the shape of a place that looks unwelcoming. Granted, Balochistan’s security challenges are different in comparison to many other parts of Pakistan, but can the government really claim that fencing is the best way to ensure the safety of citizens and visitors? There is no precedent for this either, cities across the world are kept safe without the use of fences—there must be no shortcuts to ensuring that crime and terror do not take root in Gwadar.
https://nation.com.pk/21-Dec-2020/new-crossing
New Crossing: edit in The Nation,dec 20, 2020
After seventy years, we have opened a second border crossing with Iran; at Gwadar. This is a historic moment, one that has long-term potential benefits for people on both sides of the border. Alongside regional ramifications that stand to connect high-volume trade centres with one another, Taftan has long been under constant pressure to handle any and all Pak-Iran trade, which is why this new crossing might just be a game-changer. Of course, this also helps in the region realising its goal of greater connectivity.
China’s one-belt-one-road, investment in Gwadar and Chabahar, and now an avenue to move goods on land as well as on sea through the coastal city—alongside the existing sea route and route into the rest of Pakistan—makes the network more extensive and potentially prosperous.
However, there are still some issues left to iron out within Gwadar itself. The old problem of the provision of basic utilities continues to be a stumbling block in the development of the city. Residents of Gwadar must receive the same quality of services such as electricity, water supply, healthcare and education as the most developed cities in Pakistan. In order to make it truly thriving, we need to guarantee a good quality of life to all residents.
The recent fencing decision is also one that could be revisited. Security matters, in real terms and perception, and imposing fences with barb wire in places does not really spell out safe and secure; it instead looks more imposing. Gwadar must be made a modern city with modern amenities; to attract foreign investors, the city must not take the shape of a place that looks unwelcoming. Granted, Balochistan’s security challenges are different in comparison to many other parts of Pakistan, but can the government really claim that fencing is the best way to ensure the safety of citizens and visitors? There is no precedent for this either, cities across the world are kept safe without the use of fences—there must be no shortcuts to ensuring that crime and terror do not take root in Gwadar.
https://nation.com.pk/21-Dec-2020/new-crossing
Published in Pak Media comment and Pakistan