- Enthusiastic international companies showcase their products
Gwadar – Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday visited Gwadar Expo 2019 where over 100 international companies have set up stalls to exhibit their products to lure global attraction.
As a significant platform for Gwadar Smart City, Gwadar Pro, an application that links Gwadar with the rest of the world, was also launched at the opening ceremony held on Thursday.
Upon arrival of the prime minister, Chinese and Pakistani officials greeted the chief guest. Prominent among the hosts were Pakistani Minister of Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi, Counsel General of Chinese Consulate in Karachi Wang Yu, Mr Cui Jun, chief editor of China Economic Net, Chairman of the China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) Zhang Baozhong and Chairman of Gwadar Port Authority Naseer Khan Kashani.
Tian Zheyi, a senior official from the State Council Information Office of China, Muhammad Aurangzeb, President and CEO of Habib Bank Limited (HBL), and Mr Cui Jun, chief editor of China Economic Net also attended the opening ceremony.
On the occasion, Chairman of COPHC, Zhang Baozhong said as compared to the first Gwadar Expo which was held last year, the majority of the exhibitors and participants of this expo are well-known companies specialized in different sectors, including agriculture, fishery, logistics, textile, food and stone processing,
Addressing at the opening ceremony, Wang Yu, Counsel General of Chinese Consulate in Karachi, said this is the sixth year of the Chinese side that has taken over the Gwadar Port.
Since 2013, Chinese companies, especially COPHC and their employees have overcome various objective difficulties, spared no efforts to complete the recovery of Gwadar port and the construction of the initial area of Gwadar Free Zone.
On this foundation, a number of Chinese and Pakistani enterprises have come to invest and do business in Gwadar. These endeavors have made great contributions to the job creation as well as the economic development of Gwadar.
Furthermore, the Chinese side attaches great importance to improve people’s livelihood in Balochistan. The newly established livelihood working group under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will focus on supporting the projects that aims to improve the living standards of the Balochi people.
He further noted that he was also pleasure to witness the launch of Gwadar Pro, an application that links Gwadar with the rest of the world. As it is said in the slogan – “Better Port, Better Future”, he hoped that with the support of fiends, Gwadar Pro will become a significant platform for Gwadar Smart City by further improving its service and functions while further enhancing its impact.
