Café Tourism has finally kicked off in Gwadar corresponding to the guidelines of Gwadar's first tourism strategy under its Smart Port City Master Plan, Gwadar Pro reported on Saturday. Evoking awe and thrill among Gwadar’s people and tourists, Café Tourism has made headway after two residents of Gwadar, Fahad Ishaq and Qadeer, transformed their family boat into café, the first of its kind in the vicinity of Gwadar city. The Boat was abandoned and laying unused for many years after its engine broke down. Now it has been refurbished and replaced into an exotic "Café Boat" officially named "Padizar Café" that is witnessing a rush of tourists from different parts of Pakistan. 

"It is another feather in the cap of Gwadar youth who proved their mettle in giving impetus to Café Tourism in the private sector," Rahim Baloch, a social activist told Gwadar Pro. Café Boat that catalyzed Café Tourism in Gwadar is located in the Padizar area along the marine drive in the surrounding traditional shipyard where still boats are being repaired conventionally.  In an exclusive interview with Gwadar Pro, Padizar Café manager Shay Mukhtar said that the Café has the capacity to host 150 tourists initially with tea, snacks, fish, and local cuisine.  Most people prefer "Padizar Café" for holding galas, special events, birthday parties, and hi-tea parties, he added. Transformation of the boat with renovation cost around Rs. 1.5 million, he said.

With its three roofs on three stories Café, he said, it welcomes routine customers as well as foreign tourists. A local customer, Zafar Elahi said that Padizar Café is fast becoming the best hangout spot in Gwadar. It is like a breath of fresh air in a situation when we have meager opportunity to enjoy recreational activities, especially eateries, he added.   Gwadar enjoys the bounty of seasons, different local languages, diverse ethnic groups, clear waters, exotic beaches, huge muddy plateaus, precious minerals, the most beautiful Arabian Sea, and loving locals. Gwadar is situated on a natural hammerhead-shaped headland in the promising land of Balochistan. The city is situated on a tapered and sandy 12 kilometers long strip that links Pakistan to a rocky outcropping in the Arabian Sea known as Koh-e-Batil or Gwadar Peninsula.

Under the newly proposed Gwadar Tourism Strategy, Gwadar is going to be festooned with Hangout Tourism, Resort Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Festival Tourism, Ecotourism, and many more.  Already, the Balochistan government inaugurated the "Special Police" where around 20 cops are planned to be deployed at picnic spots to facilitate the tourists in the district. The Special Tourist Police has been established under the Gwadar Safe City project. Gwadar Tourist police will guide and help the local and foreign tourists. The government has provided vehicles and equipment for the tourist police to ensure better enforcement and facilitation the visitors.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP