This new airport is Pakistan's most expensive, but without planes, passengers, it is because...it costs Rs...

With no passengers and no planes, Pakistan’s newest and most expensive airport is a bit of a mystery. Entirely financed by China to the tune of USD 240 million (Rs 20,783,880,960.00), it's anyone's guess when New Gwadar International Airport will open for business. 

Pakistan has opened a new airport, but it is without airplanes and passengers. An empty scene creates suspicion around the Gwadar International Airport. The airport is Pakistan’s most expensive one with USD 240 million invested by China. The airport has not yet commercially opened.  

It has been months since the Gwadar Airport opened in October 2024, based in the coastal city of Gwadar, with Balochistan neighbouring in the southwestern region.  China has financed the entire Gwadar Airport project and invested money into Balochistan and Gwadar as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multibillion-dollar project that connects its western Xinjiang province with the Arabian Sea. 

Airport with no benefits to locals 

Nothing has changed at the airport despite it being hailed as transformational by Pakistani and Chinese officials. The city lacks a connection to the national power grid, relying instead on electricity imported from Iran or generated by solar panels, and also faces a shortage of clean drinking water. 

The airport has a capacity of 400,000 passenger but the city's 90,000 people don’t seem to get bothered about it. “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,” said Azeem Khalid, an international relations expert who specializes in Pakistan-China ties. 

The people of Balochistan have been increasingly protesting and stepped up in insurgency due to lack of development, despite being a resourceful and strategic location. The separatists claim that the government is using up all local resources but without benefits for the local population.  

Why has the airport non-operational?

The inauguration of the international airport was delayed due to security concerns, particularly regarding the nearby mountains being a potential launchpad for attacks ¹. To mitigate these risks, the airport's opening ceremony was held virtually, with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in attendance. The first flight, however, was closed to the media and public. 

Interestingly, the New Gwadar International Airport, which replaced the old airport, was officially opened on October 14, 2024. Located in Gurandani, 26 km northeast of the existing airport, it spans 4,300 acres and features a single runway capable of accommodating wide-bodied aircraft. 

A notable concern raised by Abdul Ghafoor Hoth, district president of the Balochistan Awami Party, was that no local residents of Gwadar were employed at the airport, highlighting potential issues with job opportunities and community involvement. 

“Forget the other jobs, how many Baloch people are at this port that was built for CPEC,” he asked.