THIS is apropos of Mubarak Zeb Khan's report, 'Rs585mn lost on urea import through Gwadar' (Feb 2). With reference to some senior officials in Islamabad, the writer has blamed the Gwadar Port for the delay caused in the transportation upcountry of the urea.

He has also highlighted the other problems like lack of storage facilities, handling of cargo, restraining outsiders from handling shipments, restraining handling of 20kg bags only -- and not the government's 50kg bags -- and transportation through small trucks.

The writer's information is not based on facts. I have been working as district coordination officer, Gwadar, since May 2008 and have been closely monitoring the entire activity since Dec 22, 2008, the day the first ship arrived at Gwadar.

It has been acknowledged by stakeholders concerned that the import of urea during this season was not timely, rather it was late by a couple of months. The responsibility for the delay can only be passed on to the Gwadar Port when the upcountry transportation after discharge of cargo from the ship is slow.

So far 12 ships carrying 350,000 metric tons have arrived at the Gwadar Port . Out of approximately 40 days, work remained suspended for nine days due to heavy rainfall/Muharram and in the remaining 31 days a total of 338,000 metric tons have been dispatched on wheels to various parts of the country.

On Feb 1 the single day dispatch rose to 20,000 metric tons, which is a new record in the history of shipping industry in Pakistan.

During the operation, Gwadar town experienced approximately 200mm rainfall in 10 days against the normal trend of average 20mm rainfall annually, but due to availability of storage facility and timely precautionary measures taken by stevedore, the entire manifest was secured and dispatched later.

The news regarding small trucks and 20kg bags are also not correct as 50kg bags are being used and the capacity of the trucks carrying the cargo varies from a minimum of 30 to a maximum of 70 metric tons.

As a whole, the Gwadar Port has proved its tremendous potential for handling bulk cargo. This would not have been possible without the help of the federal and the provincial government, shipping community based at Karachi, transporters, particularly hailing from Balochistan and the NWFP, and the local community.

The availability of berths and swift transportation of cargo from the Gwadar Port has rather helped the government to avert payment of huge charges which have usually been paid at other ports ($7 to 8 million paid by the government last year while importing wheat due to non - availability of berths. In the case of one ship $50,000 a day was paid for 21 consecutive days).

The money spent by the government on trucking and subsidy in case of Gwadar have at least been paid to our own people and not the foreign companies.

The port activity has generated tremendous economic activity, particularly at the grassroots level in Balochistan. The end beneficiaries of this entire activity are and will be the local inhabitants. The Gwadar Port, in the current scenario, has emerged as a major economic field, which has the potential to bring in loop these alienated elements and play a positive role towards national integration.

And in pursuit of national integration, the money spent, indeed, is an investment and not a loss.

NOORUL AMIN MENGAL

District Coordination Officer

Gwadar