My ancestors fought against Vasco Da Gama’s forces for Gwadar’s prosperity: Nawaz

GWADAR – In an emotional address to the people of Gwadar, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said that it had been his dream to see Gwadar become a port city since 1951.

While unveiling the development package for Gwadar that included a university, 300-bed hospital and desalination plant, Nawaz recalled telling his nanny as a toddler the amount of economic potential the city had.

“In 1951 I told my nanny that if Pakistan can somehow link it to China through roads, at least 52 countries would want to become a part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor,” the premier said of the city that was purchased by Pakistan from Oman in 1958.

Nawaz also confirmed that his ancestors were among the locals that parried away the Portuguese forces led by Vasco da Gama under Mir Ismail Baloch in the 15^th century. But he was quick to clarify that his ancestors weren’t Baloch.

“They were those foresighted Pakistanis – let’s not forget we are not Punjabis, Sindhis, Baloch, or Pathan – who realised the potential of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor in the 15^th century, whereas we still have people who question it in the 21^st century,” he said. “My ancestors fought for Gwadar’s prosperity 500 years ago. And I’m doing the same in 2017.”

Nawaz added that it had been his family’s centuries-old ambition to construct as many roads as possible in Gwadar.

“With the census, we’ll know exactly how many people live here, and soon Gwadar – just like the rest of the country – will have one road per person,” he vowed. “There might be a few highways creeping behind you while you’re on your way back home,” he told the cheering crowd.