Gwadar: President General Pervez Musharraf inaugurated the long-awaited deep-sea port in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday and said it would help create greater prosperity in the region.
Built with some $300m in aid from China, Gwadar port is the third along Pakistan's Arabian sea coastline and lies about 700 kilometers (435 miles) west of Karachi, the nation's main port city.
Singapore's PSA International won a contract last month to run the port.
"It is a historic day for the people living in Gwadar," Musharraf said.
"I assure you that there will be rapid development here because of this port, and people will get more jobs."
For China, aiding the development of Gwadar gives the People's Republic a strategic outlet onto the Arabian Sea. This year China has inked another port aid deal in south Asia; this time helping Sri Lanka develop Colombo port. [21/03/07]
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