Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has disclosed that both Pakistan and Iran Governments are in contact to link up Gwadar and Chah Bahar Ports through railroad system so that benefits are shared by both the neighbourly countries.

Talking to a delegation of visiting Iranian journalists at his office the other day, he said that the Government of Pakistan had made a formal proposal to link up both the Mekran Coast ports through railroad system. He disclosed that both the Governments had already exchanged documents and proposals suggesting railroad link of two vitally important ports in this region.

Mekran Coast is around 3000 kilometers long from Karachi to beyond Straits of Hormuz in the Gulf and it is shared by Pakistan and Iran where there are huge potentials for economic development boosting international trade. In case of railroad link up, the Islamic Republic of Iran can use the deepwater port facilities for large scale import of merchandized products or export its metals and minerals in huge quantity.

Balochistan is the home of mines and minerals, mainly the metal mines. Iranian Balochistan has railroad infrastructure of world standard connected it with rest of Iran and also with its neighbouring countries. In addition to it, Iran is linking Chah Bahar Port with Zahedan through rail link for bulk transportation of commercial cargo to different destinations.

Pakistan got the advantage of having the strategic Quetta-Zahedan section of once northwestern Railways of the British Empire which is already connected with the international railway system.

Pakistan will have to upgrade the railway tract to the international standards using it for trade with Iran, Turkey and other countries of Central Asia and making available the Gwadar Port facilities for the landlocked countries.

The minerals rich Nokkundi region is the point of confluence and it is on the main railroad highway to all directions connecting Pakistan with Iran, Turkey, Southern Europe and landlocked Central Asia, including Afghanistan.

It is the misfortune that Pakistan Government had not spent a single penny on development of railways on Quetta-Zahedan Section which is the only railroad route for trade with West Asia, Southern Europe and the landlocked Central Asia.

On the contrary, the Government is trying to build the railway track in the reverse direction where there is no commercial cargo or human traffic to match the huge investment. Once Gwadar is linked with Nokkundi, it is linked with rest of Pakistan, including Karachi Port.  Unfortunately, pace of development of Gwadar Port is very slow.

If Gwadar had been part of Punjab Province, then it would have been a world class port in a couple of years. On the contrary, the Pakistan Government built merely three berths in past 15 years. The other day, three cranes were installed at Gwadar Port and it took 15 long years indicating some improvement in port facilities.

The Government had failed to solve drinking water problem of the local residents keeping aside the commercial and industrial need of water at Gwadar Port.

Presumably, the Government will take decades to solve the problem of water shortage. A port is being built without water, airport, railroad link and other basic facilities. It seems that the Gwadar Port is in outer space and not on the ground. The Government had approved the construction plan for the second phase of Gwadar Port.

The plan was approved last year and there is no sign that the Chinese are starting work on the second phase in foreseeable future. The Chinese were found resisting the demand from the Government of Pakistan to start construction work on the Gwadar International Airport. There are no chances that the Gwadar International Airport will be complete in next three years as announced by both the Pakistan and Chinese Government.

Presumably, the Chinese companies are looking towards the Chinese Government for clear instructions keeping in view the changing scenario in the West Asia region.