For a number of years now, the port city of Gwadar, Pakistan has been compared to Dubai. A shining location in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has been a focal point for high-powered industry for many years.
Dubai is also known as a destination that provides a perfect backdrop for an opulent lifestyle while being a constant focal point for property investors. Can Gwadar hope to match Dubai in these respects? Read on to discover why the two locations are being closely linked.
What is the origin of this comparison?
No-one is entirely sure who first looked at the two cities and made this comparison. Some observers credit the Daily Telegraph newspaper in the UK while, at the start of 2018, writer Tariq Al-Shammari said that:
“Many economic analysts believe that Gwadar is another Dubai emerging on the world’s map.”
The comparisons have certainly gathered pace since those comments but we can date them back much further. Reports in the press during 2018 claimed that officials in Gwadar had been dreaming of the new Dubai for over a decade. It is therefore, tough to pinpoint the exact origin but there are a number of references through recent history. So now we need to go back to our original question and see whether the links are justified.
Is the comparison between Gwadar and Dubai justified?
Both locations offer port facilities and while Dubai has a choice of locations, Gwadar is a fixed, solitary coastal city. However, international port city Gwadar may have an advantage due to its specific location on the south western tip of Pakistan. This means that the city offers the largest deep sea port within 600 kilometres of the Strait of Hormuz and that promises to be very significant.
35% of sea-bound petroleum supplies pass through the strait. Fuel forms a major part of the economy of both Dubai and Gwadar but could that valuable location give the Pakistani city the edge over its UAE counterpart?
Trade and industry are definitely similar and another area where Gwadar can truly emulate Dubai is in the world of property. There are around 3,000 world class domestic and commercial properties in development here across 10 million square feet. Potential investors are watching the situation very closely while shrewd purchasers have already made their move.
Will Gwadar eclipse Dubai in the future?
Trade and industry are definitely similar and another area where Gwadar can truly emulate Dubai is in the world of property. There are around 3,000 world class domestic and commercial properties in development here across 10 million square feet. Potential investors are watching the situation very closely while shrewd purchasers have already made their move.
In terms of net worth, Gwadar has some way to go before it can match Dubai but there are many good reasons why the two are compared. Billions of dollars of funding are being ploughed into Gwadar, mainly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) alliance and construction is set to get underway in regards to key projects.
Gwadar will possess Pakistan’s biggest airport while a multi billion dollar oil city is also on the way. There are plenty of comparisons but perhaps the main area where Gwadar can rise up and match Dubai is in that thriving property market. There’s such a buzz around the region right now and that interest is fueling a market that has the potential to exceed anything Dubai has to offer.