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China kick-starts Pakistan’s Gwadar East Bay Expressway

China is offering an interest-free US$130 million loan to Pakistan for construction of the Gwadar East Bay Expressway in the southwest port of Gwadar. The proposed 19km expressway will connect the Gwadar Port with the Mekran Coastal Highway, passing along the east bay of Gwadar City. The loan is part of a wider financing deal whereby China has a converted $225.5 million loan for the Gwadar International Airport into a loan. Work on the highway is expected to start in November for completion at the
September 2, 2015 Read time: 1 min
China is offering an interest-free US$130 million loan to Pakistan for construction of the Gwadar East Bay Expressway in the southwest port of Gwadar.

The proposed 19km expressway will connect the Gwadar Port with the Mekran Coastal Highway, passing along the east bay of Gwadar City.
 
The loan is part of a wider financing deal whereby China has a converted $225.5 million loan for the Gwadar International Airport into a loan.

Work on the highway is expected to start in November for completion at the end of 2017, Pakistani media reported.

Highway and airport improvements are part of a plan by the Balochistan provincial government tha includes a special economic zone and industrial parks to boost the economy.

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