GWADAR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stressed that Pakistan will soon become an Asian tiger while Balochistan will prove to be the country’s tiger

Addressing a public gathering here on Thursday, the prime minister emphasised that Balochistan which was once hit by terrorism was now experiencing development that would not only change the fate of the province but also the country.

In his address, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif placed importance on a smooth road network which he said was crucial for the development of a region.

The prime minister was also critical of past governments neglecting Gwadar, adding that he had plans to connect the city with China by road.

The PM arrived on a two-day visit to Gwadar from Pasni on Wednesday, where he inspected the road network up to Gwadar. He was briefed by Director General Gwadar Development Authority regarding the developmental projects' progress.

During the address, the prime minister reiterated that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would be a game changer for the region.

PM unveils Gwadar development package

The prime minister unveiled a development package for Gwadar which includes a university, 300-bed hospital and desalination plant.

"Gwadar is soon going to experience a new dawn of development and will become the country's unique small district, having all basic amenities similar to big cities," he said in his address to a public gathering here in the coastal city.

Prime Minister Sharif said it was his mission to improve the living standard of the people of Gwadar. He said the deprivation of people of Balochistan would now come to an end, adding Gwadar would bring a ray of hope for them.

The Prime Minister announced a state-of-the-art Gwadar University to equip the natives with contemporary education at their doorsteps. He said 50 youth of Gwadar would be sent to China on government expenses to learn the Chinese language, in view of their future contribution for CPEC. He directed the High Education Commission to allocate seats for the students of Gwadar in the leading universities of the country.

The prime minister mentioned that the government had already purchased 500-acre land in Shahabi for the university and an amount of Rs one billion for the purpose would be allocated in the upcoming budget.

The Prime Minister said with assistance from China, a 300-bed modern hospital would be set up in Gwadar. Also, the deserving residents of Gwadar will be issued health cards and they will be eligible to get medical treatment at hospitals anywhere in the country, he added.

Nawaz Sharif said there was a dire shortage of clean drinking water in Gwadar and announced to set up a desalination plant on urgent basis. He said the plant would clean five million gallons of water daily, which would be supplied to houses.

The Prime Minister mentioned that he took an aerial view of Gwadar which showed the miserable condition of roads and streets. He announced Rs one billion for infrastructure improvement of the city including sewerage system and link roads.