ISLAMABAD, May 21, 2026: The government’s decision to reduce tariffs at Gwadar Port is being seen as a major step toward improving Pakistan’s maritime trade, logistics efficiency and regional competitiveness.

Experts say the move could help lower business costs, attract investors and increase economic activity around Gwadar and other major ports.

Speaking to Wealth Pakistan, Jawad Akhtar, Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, said tariff reductions were not limited to Gwadar alone, as charges at Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar had been reduced substantially.

He said some port-related charges had been cut by nearly 50 to 60 percent, making Pakistan’s ports more cost-effective for traders and shipping companies.

Jawad Akhtar said Gwadar’s real economic potential would become more visible once major industrial and investment projects begin operations in the Gwadar Free Zone and nearby economic zones.

He added that customs-related costs, including scanning and clearance charges, had also been reduced by almost 50 to 60 percent to facilitate traders and lower logistics expenses.

According to him, the government is also working to reduce port congestion and improve cargo handling through off-dock terminals and additional storage facilities near ports.

These facilities would allow containers to remain in designated free areas for longer periods until onward shipping arrangements become available.

“The broader strategy is to make transportation faster, cheaper, and easier,” he said, adding that better logistics and shipping facilitation could encourage businesses to expand trade operations.

Jawad Akhtar said shipping activity at Gwadar had increased, with vessels now arriving almost every week compared with the past when only limited ship movement was recorded.

He said the growing frequency of shipping activity was helping build business confidence in Gwadar’s trade potential.

He also said Gwadar Port currently faces no major security-related challenges and claimed that commercial activity in the port city had increased in recent weeks.

Referring to infrastructure development, he said the Balochistan government had recently floated a tender for a 40-megawatt power plant project for Gwadar, which is under procurement through the Board of Investment.

Dr Khalid Waleed, Senior Research Fellow at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, said Gwadar’s location near key international shipping lanes gives Pakistan a natural advantage as a gateway for transit trade to Central Asia, Afghanistan, western China and the Gulf region.

However, he said lower tariffs alone would not be enough unless supported by improvements in road infrastructure, customs procedures, cargo handling capacity and security arrangements.

He said that if tariff cuts are implemented alongside broader infrastructure and policy reforms, Gwadar could become a viable logistics hub linking South Asia with Central Asia and beyond.