QUETTA The newly constructed Gwadar Deep Sea Port formally becomes functional on Sunday with starting unloading the first ship anchored at the port that brought imported fertilizer from Qatar, Dawn reported.

The Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, Nabil Ahmed Gabbol and Balochistan Chief Minister, Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani attended the ceremony held at the port starting offloading the fertilizer.

Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was also invited at the ceremony but due to his engagement he could not attended the ceremony.

Another huge ship also carrying fertilizer is also reached at the Gwadar port from Qatar on Monday while in next four months over 21 more ships would anchor at the third port of the country after Karachi and Port Qasim.

The Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, Nabil Gabbol while speaking at the ceremony said that with making Gwadar port functional massive economic activities would be started in Gwadar as it would be prove hub of generating economic activities in the entire region.

He said that Gwadar port would play an important role in the future economic development of the country while with making the port functional thousands of jobs would be created for the local people that would help in changing the socio-economic conditions of the area.

He lauded the efforts of the Balochistan Chief Minister that he made for making the newly port a functional and said that people of Balochistan must be proud on their Chief Minister who pleaded Gwadar port case and succeeded in his effort.

`It was his sincere efforts that convinced the President and Prime Minister to accept the legitimate demand of the people of Balochistan,` Nabil Gabbol said.

The Balochistan Chief Minister, Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani while speaking on the occasion said, `Gwadar port is assets of Baloch people and Balochistan and we would neither allow anyone to occupy on our resources nor allow converting Baloch majority into minority in Gwadar.`

He said that the agreement signed with a Singapore company would be reviewed and subsequently it would be amended if found necessary. `The agreement must favours interests of Balochistan and its people,` he said. He said that all federating units must get their provincial rights in the light of Lahore Resolutoin-1940.

He paid tribute to the late Ms. Benazir Bhutto, saying `Muhtarma Benazir Bhutto was the only politician who could maintain the federating units intact, but now she is no more among us and it is the responsibility of the incumbent federal government to keep intact and strengthen the federating units by granting rights of the provinces in the light of the resolution-1940.`

He directed the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) officials to provide job opportunities to local unemployed youths as it was their right. `They should be given priority in jobs,` Nawab Raisani said.

The Chief Minister took serious notice to brining labourers from Karachi for offloading fertilizer from the ship and directed official concerned that local people should be engaged for unloading the ship.

He said that his government had made efforts for making the port functional in order to give fruits to the local people and directed the MPA from Gwadar to vigil that jobs should be provided to the local people in the new port city. `If we could not benefit the local people by making Gwadar Deep Sea Port functional then this mega project would be prove useless for our people,` Chief Minister angrily remarked.

He said that his government was taking initiatives for granting control to the local people over their resources and granting their rights in the province.

The CM thanked the President, PM and Nabil Gabbol for taking personal interests for making the sea port functional.

He said that Gwadar deep seaport had not only regional significance, but it had international importance in view of its geo-strategic location.

He said that development of the area would continue and he himself would supervise the overall progress of the coastal areas of the province.

The Chairman of the GPA Admiral (retd) Ehsan Saeed and the representative of the Singapore company Khurram Abbas also spoke on the occasion.

Balochistan Ministers Younas Mullazai, Asim Kurd Gailu and Hammal Kalmati, district nazim Gawadar Abdul Ghafoor Kalmati, district coordination officer-DCO Gawadar Noor-ul-Amin Mengal and other senior officials were also present at the ceremony.