Gwadar Intl Airport to be inaugurated

Flagship CPEC project cost $230m, declared fully operational

BEIJING:

The new Gwadar International Airport, a flagship project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is on the verge of inauguration, as confirmed by Ghulam Qadir, Commercial Counsellor of the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing, on Tuesday.

The highly-anticipated event will see a high-powered Chinese delegation flying to Pakistan to participate in the inauguration ceremony.

The new Gwadar International Airport marks a significant milestone in the progress of CPEC, reflecting the strong collaboration between China and Pakistan in driving infrastructure development and economic growth in the region.

Launched in 2019, the $230 million project, fully funded by the Chinese government, is situated in Gurandani, 26km east of Gwadar city.

Spanning over an area of 18 square kilometres, the new airport will be the second-largest airport in Pakistan. Managed by the China Airport Construction Group, the project encompasses 32 components, including runways, taxiways, aprons, a terminal, and airport support infrastructure, utilities, and facilities.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the airport took place on March 29, 2019, and the implementation of the project was handed over to the Aviation Division. Construction commenced on October 31, 2019.

According to media reports, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan has completed the safety check of the airport, declaring it clear and fully prepared for flight operations.

The state-of-the-art airport will be equipped to handle a variety of aircraft, including the ATR 72, Airbus (A-300), Boeing (B-737), and Boeing (B-747), catering to both domestic and international routes.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2023.

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