Despite construction being completed in October 2024, Pakistan’s New Gwadar International Airport has seen few passengers or planes. Its purpose remains a mystery, especially to locals.
The airport, which cost approximately $240 million, was entirely financed by China. Located in the southwestern Balochistan province, it is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multibillion-dollar project designed to connect China’s Xinjiang province with the Arabian Sea.
Security concerns and a low-key inauguration
Security concerns led to repeated delays in the airport’s inauguration. Authorities feared that the surrounding mountains could make it vulnerable to an attack. As a result, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang opted for a virtual ceremony instead. The inaugural flight was not open to media or the public.
Since then, the airport has hosted only one commercial route: three weekly flights connecting Gwadar to Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, located at the other end of the Arabian Sea coastline.
Who is the airport really for?
“This airport is not for Pakistan or Gwadar”, Azeem Khalid, an international relations expert who specializes in Pakistan-China ties told the Associated Press (AP). “It is for China, so they can have secure access for their citizens to Gwadar and Balochistan.”
The airport’s state-of-the-art infrastructure stands in stark contrast to the living conditions in Gwadar. The city, according to AP, is not connected to Pakistan’s national electricity grid, instead relying on power from Iran and solar panels. Access to clean water also remains a significant challenge. Moreover, the airport’s capacity of 400,000 passengers per year far exceeds the local population of 90,000.
Ghost Town: Pakistan's Newest Airport is a Bit of a Mystery
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) February 23, 2025
Gwadar Intl Airport is open for business… but you wouldn't know it. It's an eerie place. The most expensive airport in 🇵🇰 was entirely financed by China ($240mn) – as money poured in to develop Balochistan & Gwadar… pic.twitter.com/VlsFlcoNBr
Balochistan has long been plagued by a separatist insurgency, with militants opposing the CPEC project and targeting both Pakistani troops and Chinese workers. In response, Pakistan has significantly increased military presence in Gwadar to protect Chinese investments.
Today, checkpoints, barbed wire, military personnel, barricades, and watchtowers are visible throughout the city. Roads are frequently closed — sometimes multiple times a week — to facilitate the secure movement of Chinese workers and Pakistani VIPs.
“Nobody used to ask where we are going, what we are doing, and what is your name,” said 76-year-old Gwadar native Khuda Bakhsh Hashim in an interview with AP. “We used to enjoy all-night picnics in the mountains or rural areas. We are asked to prove our identity, who we are, where we have come from. We are residents. Those who ask should identify themselves as to who they are.”
🇵🇰PAKISTAN’S $240M “GHOST AIRPORT” HAS NO PLANES, NO PASSENGERS, NO POINT
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) February 25, 2025
China built it, Pakistan owns it, and nobody’s using it.
The brand-new Gwadar airport—Pakistan’s most expensive—sits empty while the city around it struggles with blackouts and water shortages.
Locals… pic.twitter.com/o6mbh2a91b
While the government claims that the CPEC has created around 2,000 jobs for locals, there is uncertainty over what ‘local’ actually means. Furthermore, intelligence officers are closely monitoring journalists reporting in Gwadar, with some areas, such as the city’s fish market, considered off-limits for media coverage.
