Gwadar Airport inauguration delayed once again: Here's the new deadline

QUETTA - The opening of the new Gwadar International Airport has been delayed for one more time due to multiple reasons, it emerged on Saturday.

The airport is being established by China under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and has been under the watch of policymakers and the business community due to its potential.

In this regard, the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority Khaqan Murtaza confirmed that the new Gwadar Airport was supposed to be inaugurated this month, but it was delayed over technical grounds.

The official said that there was a delay in the arrival of airport and technical equipment from China to Pakistan, Daily Jang reported.

Murtaza explained that the pending goods coming to Gwadar from China by sea are expected to arrive this month.

As far as the new opening date is concerned, Khaqan Murtaza said Chinese authorities have given March 2024 for the inauguration of the airport; however, he said there may be further delays in completing the arrangements for making the new Gwadar airport operational.

The new Gwadar International Airport is an important step forward for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It shows how China and Pakistan are working jointly to improve infrastructure and boost the economy in the region by setting up a network of communication to cement the ties.

With a cost of $230 million project, the project was launched in 2019 and is fully funded by the Chinese government; the facility is located 26km east of Gwadar city.

Interestingly, the airport will be the second-largest airport in Pakistan boasting an area of 18 square kilometres. The groundbreaking ceremony of the airport took place on March 29, 2019, and Aviation Division is overseeing the project while the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has completed the safety check of the airport.

As per the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor website, the project's completion deadline was March 2023.

The construction of Gwadar Airport is an important aspect of the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. Besides a network of roads, the airport would allow investors as well as tourists to land in the beautiful city and enjoy the serene atmosphere besides looking for business opportunities.