Pakistan's Gwadar Port awaits UNESCAP recognition
Pakistan Times Business & Commerce Desk

KARACHI: United Nation Organisation (UNO) has so far not granted its official recognition to Gwadar port, learned sources informed on Thursday.

The UNO recognition is granted by UNESCAP, headquartered at Bangkok.

UNO has not granted its official recognition to Gwadar port because the government of Pakistan has not approach it for recognition in the first place, furthermore the UN body has some reservations regarding the Gwadar port.

Sources of shipping industry said on Thursday that National Trade and Transport Facilitation Committee (NTTFC), a tripartite committee of ministries of ports and shipping and commerce and private sector of the country, has recommended that "Government of Pakistan may instruct its permanent representative in UNESCAP to ensure that the UNESCAP Asian Highway Route Map (AHWRM) should include southern region of Pakistan including Gwadar Port for direct east and west bound highways".

An ex-Director of Board of Directors of PNSC said, "UNESCAP recognition was like an ISO-Certification for the Gwadar Port and highways of the country located in Sindh-Baluchistan Region."

Requesting anonymity he warned that non-recognition by UNESCAP would stop entry of international business traffic towards Gwadar Port seriously affecting business interests of the country beside the payment of enhanced rate of insurance premium would cost country many millions dollars."

Sources said NTTFC, which met on last weekend also, expressed its serious reservations on low standards of Karachi-Gwadar Highway and demanded that it should be "upgraded to international standards."

NTTC has also demanded that railway link from Gwadar to Quetta may be developed to improve access to Central Asian States from Gwadar Port.

Sources said NTTC has also suggested to policy makers of Central Board of Revenue (CBR) that Government of Pakistan may expedite accession to TIR Convention.●