News
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Oman to provide $45m grant for Gwadar development projects* Another US$20 million earmarked for preservation and maintenance of Gwadar Fort
By Mohammad Zafar
QUETTA: The Sultanate of Oman has agreed to provide a grant of $45 million for a number of development projects in Gwadar District, along with another $20 million for the preservation and maintenance of the Gwadar Fort, to serve as a museum.
This was announced by the Oman Ambassador HE Mohammad bin Said Mohammad Al Lawati, during a meeting with Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani, held in Islamabad. The grant was announced by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said during his last visit to Gwadar.
Unde residential quarters for r it a 50-bed hospital along with allied facilities, including doctors, nurses and paramedics; furniture, equipments, ambulances and staff vans will be constructed at Pasni, the second biggest town of Gwadar.
There are also three other projects, including construction of blacktop roads. A 54 kilometre-road from Nagore Sharif to Suntsar, a 15 kilometre-road from Chib Rikani to Coastal Highway, and a 7.3 kilometres and 11.3 kilometres roads from Nallaint to Kappar and Tak Village (Ormara) to Coastal Highway, respectively.
A scheme for laying parallel pipelines form Swali Gwarm to Pasni town would also be part of the uplift plan for the provision of drinking water to the people of the area, while the Quetta Electricity Supply Company (QESCO) had been assigned the task for linking the Pishukan, a tiny settlement on the Mekran coast with the main grid supplying power from Iran to Gwadar and other parts of the district.
Talking to the ambassador, Raisani expressed his gratitude to Sultan Qaboos for his generous assistance to the people of Gwadar. The ambassador said the grant was placed with the Omani Embassy, and was to be released after the Economic Affairs Division would initiate the withdrawal applications.
He said another grant of US$20 million had been earmarked for the preservation and maintenance of the Gwadar Fort, turning it into a cultural museum.
Raisani said the matter would be taken up with the Economic Affairs Division and the Ministry of Culture so that they can take the necessary action pertaining to both the grants announced by the Omani government. It may be recalled that the modalities for the Omani grant had been agreed upon during the sixth session of a joint ministerial commission held at Islamabad on March 2.
Minister of State and Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and Mohammad bin Nasser Al Khasibi, secretary general ministry of national economy, Sultanate of Oman, had signed the agreement.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk