Gwadar, The Deputy Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recently visited the NAB Balochistan sub-office in Gwadar, where he chaired two significant meetings focusing on the operational challenges of the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and land allotment issues within the district. These meetings, held on June 11, 2024, aimed at refining strategies to improve the efficiency and transparency of port operations and land management in Gwadar, a key future industrial hub of Pakistan.

According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Balochistan, the session brought together senior officials from various federal and provincial departments, including the SMBR Government of Balochistan, Commissioner Mekran Division, and Directors General of the GDA and GPA. The discussions covered a range of critical topics from amendments to the GPA Ordinance, land acquisition for expansion, and infrastructure needs such as electricity and desalination plants, to digital connectivity and water supply issues that are hindering Gwadar’s development.

The Deputy Chairman of NAB emphasized the urgency of resolving these long-standing issues and assured full support from NAB to address the hurdles affecting Gwadar’s growth potential. He highlighted the corruption and non-implementation of regulations as major barriers to exploiting Gwadar’s full potential as an industrial hub.

Furthermore, the meetings addressed the digitization of land records, staff shortages, and the need for rectification of existing records to streamline land settlement processes. The SMBR, Government of Balochistan, committed to resolving these issues swiftly to facilitate development.

The session concluded with a unified commitment among stakeholders to remove obstacles for development projects and enforce rules and regulations to foster an environment conducive to growth and transparency in Gwadar. The NAB Gwadar Sub-office has pledged ongoing monitoring and support to ensure the effective implementation of these strategic recommendations.