GWADAR: The district administration has imposed an immediate ban on the transportation of oil in the Gwadar region, citing safety and security concerns.
According to an official notification released on Sunday, the ban specifically targets all oil-carrying vehicles. This includes “Zambad” trucks and any other vehicles that load, transport, or bring oil between the areas of Jiwani, Panwan, and Gwadar city.
Authorities have issued a direct order to all drivers and concerned individuals to avoid traveling towards Jiwani. The notification warns that any vehicle found violating this ban will face strict legal action. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies have been instructed to immediately seize any vehicles caught transporting oil in the restricted zone.
To ensure the order is effectively enforced, the district administration has directed all law enforcement agencies, including the Police, Pakistan Coast Guard, and Frontier Corps (FC), to implement the measures.
Meanwhile in a separate development, Pakistan’s cabinet has approved the launch of a passenger and cargo ferry service between Pakistan and Oman, aiming to boost maritime connectivity, trade, and tourism.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced the decision on Friday. He said Pakistan and Oman would soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize the service. An Omani delegation will visit Pakistan soon to finalize operational details, the press release added.
The move follows a July 2025 meeting between Minister Chaudhry and Oman’s Ambassador Fahad bin Sulaiman bin Khalaf Al Kharusi in Islamabad, where both sides discussed maritime and economic cooperation.
Chaudhry said a direct ferry link from Gwadar to Oman carries strategic significance. He noted that the service could expand trade, attract investment, and generate transit revenue.
He projected Gwadar’s annual export revenue to exceed $850 million, driven by $645 million from value-added fisheries and up to $205 million from the date sector. He said the ferry route would also give Oman an efficient corridor to Central Asian markets.
