The decision to build a port in Gwadar was initially taken in the early 1990s when the hydrocarbon-laden and mineral-rich Central Asian Republics gained independence after the breakup of the
Soviet Union. The construction of the Makran Coastal Highway was essential to the development of the port of Gwadar. Without the Highway, Gwadar would have been an island sitting without the bridges that connect it with Karachi in the south and the rest of Pakistan and beyond in the north and the west. It also provided a potential alternative to the vulnerable choke points in the
Strait of Malacca for trade through
China. Prior to the construction of the Makran Coastal Highway in 2004, Karachi was linked to Gwadar via an uncarpeted "jeep" or "dirt" track. The journey between Karachi and Gwadar used to take at least two days and took a heavy toll on the "wear and tear" of vehicles. It was considered preferable to take the safer but longer route via
Quetta. After completion of the Makran Coastal Highway, the average journey time between Karachi and Gwadar has been reduced to only 6 to 7 hours and transportation costs have also been reduced. The Makran Coastal Highway was planned and built by the
Government of Pakistan to develop infrastructure and boost economic activity in the areas along Pakistan's coastline, to improve the transportation and communications infrastructure in the province, to develop the coastal towns of Ormara, Pasni and Gwadar into major port cities and link them with the rest of Pakistan's national highways network, and to develop the seafood industry along Pakistan's coastline by reducing the time and costs involved in transporting fresh seafood from seafood catchment areas to major cities in Pakistan as well as export processing zones in Karachi and Gwadar. == Construction ==