Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal says full development of Gwadar will make Pakistan a hub of regional trade, reported by Radio Pakistan.

He was addressing a function organized by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies in Islamabad on Thursday.

The Minister said credit goes to the present government for completing Kachhi canal, which is irrigating seventy-two thousand acres of land in Dera Bugti.

Ahsan Iqbal said for the first time, under China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a genuine programme has been initiated to mine coal from Thar, and first coal-based power project in the area will become operational by the end of this year. He said Thar coal is enough to generate five thousand megawatts of electricity for four hundred years.

The Minister for Planning said economic and security situation in Pakistan has improved much as compared to 2013. Today, peace has returned to Karachi and investors have started making investments in the city.

He said security situation in Balochistan has also improved and the Government has taken a number of measures to address the sense of deprivation of its people.