ISLAMABAD – The federal government has maintained its ban on issuing of no-objection certificates (NOCs) for starting new housing societies at Gwadar after rejecting Balochistan government’s request.
At a meeting with Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform, Ahsan Iqbal, the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) had requested an end to the ban, but the minister turned it down, stating that no NOC will be issued until the Gwadar city master plan is finalized.
The Baloch government had made the request after several developers approached the GDA seeking approval for launching their housing societies in the port city. The federal government imposed the ban early in 2017 and it was unlikely to be lifted till August 2018.
The minister directed the GDA to discourage the growing residential societies by private sector before the finalization of the master plan, adding that messy development activities in the city will not be allowed.
It is to mention here that 103 housing societies are working at Gwadar, out of which 100 schemes are being operated by private sector and remaining are handled by the provincial government.
The planning commission launched Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan, a one-year project. The cost has been estimated at $4 million (Chinese grant). The master plan includes city planning and urban design, city transportation and design, energy, technology and connectivity infrastructure and policies, port city economic planning, community participation and empowerment, disaster-risk management and integrated business development plan for the city and the port etc.
