A $240 million airport in Pakistan’s southwestern port city of Gwadar, funded by China, remains empty. Its runways are unused and terminals are lacking passengers. Completed in October 2024 under Beijing’s Belt Road Initiative, the New Gwadar International Airport has to set an operational timeline. Significantly, it is highlighting the disconnect between grand infrastructure plans and real-world implementation in economic ventures.
Airport’s Historic Connection
In 2024, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Premier Li Qiang virtually inaugurated the New Gwadar International Airport. Authorities bypassed a public ceremony due to concerns that nearby mountains could provide vantage points for attacks. The inaugural flight took off without media presence, highlighting the secrecy surrounding CPEC-related projects. The airport’s shiny exterior stands in sharp contrast to the surrounding Balochistan province. The province that still faces poverty and security challenges despite more than a decade of Chinese investment through the CPEC. Significantly, the airport was promoted as a “game-changer” for connecting China’s Xinjiang region to the Arabian Sea. It is important to note that CPEC has directed billions of dollars into Gwadar.
Although officials have praised the airport as a transformative project, there is little sign of progress in Gwadar. Gwadar remains disconnected from the national power grid, relying on electricity from neighboring Iran and lacks sufficient clean water. Furthermore, it’s difficult to see how an airport with 400,000-passenger capacity could be a priority for 90,000 residents.
Claims From Authorities
CPEC officials have generated 2,000 jobs in Gwadar but have not specified whether positions belonged to Baloch residents. At the same time, Gwadar remains largely disconnected from the rest of Pakistan due to security concerns and travel restrictions. Its current domestic airport offers only a few weekly flights to Karachi, with no connections to major cities like Islamabad. Meanwhile, the coastal highway, despite its scenic views, lacks essential facilities, further deepening the region’s isolation.
Azeem Khalid, an international relations expert specializing in Pakistan-China ties, said it’s clear who benefits. He further stated:
‘This airport is not for Pakistan or Gwadar. It is for China, so they can have secure access for their citizens to Gwadar and Balochistan.’
Nick Pulley, founder of travel tour company Selective Asia, doesn’t foresee a huge increase in visitors any time soon. He stated:
‘The troubles Pakistan had with terrorism 10 to 15 years ago are a thing of the past. Now it’s considered by everyone to be much safer. But it takes a very long time for the trust to return and for the stigma to wear off.’
In The End
Currently, authorities have not revealed any updates on how the airport will resume flights. Notably, to safeguard China’s investments, Pakistan has increased its military presence in Gwadar to suppress dissent. Soldiers have heavily fortified the city with checkpoints, barbed wire, barricades, and watchtowers. Moreover, road closures occur multiple days a week to ensure the secure movement of Chinese workers and Pakistani VIPs.