Gwadar Port Chairman meets Oman’s Consul General; discusses Sister Port Agreement between Gwadar and Sohar
Karachi, Chairman Gwadar Port, Noor ul Haq Baloch, held an important meeting in Karachi with the Consul General of the Sultanate of Oman, Engineer Sami Abdullah Salim Al Khinjari, to discuss strengthening maritime cooperation, trade, and investment between Pakistan and Oman.
The meeting focused on declaring Gwadar Port and Oman’s Sohar Port as sister ports, establishing direct port-to-port connectivity, facilitating shipping and cargo movement, reducing transit time, and boosting regional trade.
Discussions also covered the launch of direct air connectivity between Gwadar and Oman through Salam Air, aimed at enhancing passenger travel and business activities via Gwadar International Airport. Both sides reviewed prospects of Omani investment in Gwadar Free Zone, particularly in logistics, warehousing, and fisheries, alongside joint ventures in port management, dredging, digital port operations, and staff training.
It was noted that the proposal to designate Gwadar and Sohar as sister ports is not new; diplomatic progress was made earlier on April 22, 2021, when Oman’s Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology expressed interest and sought a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) from Pakistan.
Chairman Noor ul Haq Baloch and Consul General Al Khinjari agreed that a formal sister port agreement could create new opportunities for regional connectivity, trade, and investment, while also linking the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with Gulf and Central Asian markets.
Baloch reaffirmed Gwadar Port’s modernization drive and commitment to expanding maritime and trade cooperation with Oman. The Omani Consul General assured full support in advancing the sister port initiative. Both sides agreed to move the matter forward through relevant ministries in the coming weeks and finalize the MoU draft for the agreement.