Noon Meenar at Gwadar:
It was during the period of Prime Minister Malik Feroze Khan Noon that
Pakistan purchased the Gwadar enclave from the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman for
USD $3 million – a huge amount from the reckoning then and Gwadar formally
became part of Pakistan on 8 December 1958 – ironically the day Martial Law was
imposed - after 174 years of Omani rule. It took PM Noon more than
six months of hard negotiations – assisted by UK – to clasp the deal, much to
the dismay of Nehru who had his eyes on Gwadar for its far reaching strategic
value.
Now that the port has been formally opened, the first cargo load shipped out
and the massive economic potential along with its immensely strategic
importance for Pakistan is well established, it was time that in recognition of
the enormous favour done to Pakistan by it great benefactor late Malik Feroze
Khan Noon we paid him a tribute by erecting some monument at Gwadar. I think a
befittingly tall Light House tower with very strong rotating light beams
beaconing the incoming ships from miles be erected at the port and named “Noon
Meenar” to commemorate his name for ever.
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
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