Pakistan’s most expensive airport, entirely funded by China for $240 million, stands nearly empty. The New Gwadar International Airport, completed in October 2024, boasts a capacity of 400,000 passengers per year, yet remains without flights, passengers, or a clear opening date. While authorities have promoted it as a transformational project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), locals in Gwadar and the surrounding Balochistan province see little benefit.
A Strategic Hub or an Unused Asset?
Despite its modern infrastructure, the airport sits unused in a city of 90,000 people lacking essential services such as reliable electricity and clean water. “This airport is not for Pakistan or Gwadar,” said Azeem Khalid, an expert in Pakistan-China relations. “It is for China, so they can have secure access for their citizens to Gwadar and Balochistan.”
For over a decade, China has invested heavily in Gwadar as part of CPEC, a multibillion-dollar project linking its western Xinjiang province to the Arabian Sea. However, Gwadar’s residents see little improvement in their daily lives. Many question the necessity of such a large airport when basic needs remain unmet.
A City Under Tight Control
Security concerns have intensified in Balochistan due to long-standing insurgency issues. Separatists argue that the government exploits the province’s resources while locals remain deprived. Attacks against Pakistani security forces and Chinese workers have increased, leading to heightened military presence.
Gwadar is now a city of checkpoints, barbed wire, and surveillance. “Nobody used to ask where we are going, what we are doing,” said 76-year-old resident Khuda Bakhsh Hashim. “Now we are asked to prove our identity. We are residents. Those who ask should identify themselves as to who they are.”
Locals recall a time when Gwadar, once under Omani rule, was a prosperous port with steady jobs and ample resources. However, years of economic neglect and water shortages have left many struggling. The government claims that CPEC has created 2,000 local jobs, but it remains unclear whether these opportunities benefit Baloch residents or workers from other regions of Pakistan.
Who Benefits from CPEC?
Despite Gwadar’s strategic importance, its people see few benefits from China’s growing presence. Only one commercial airline route operates out of the domestic airport, flying three times a week to Karachi. There are no direct flights to Quetta, the provincial capital, or Islamabad, the national capital.
Residents live under constant scrutiny, and activists claim that those who speak against state policies risk forced disappearance or detention. The government denies such allegations. “When someone has something to eat, then why would he choose to go on the wrong path?” Hashim said, emphasizing the need for employment and stability.
Delayed Inauguration Raises Questions
Fears of militant attacks delayed the airport’s inauguration. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang opted for a virtual ceremony, while the inaugural flight remained closed to the media and the public.
According to Abdul Ghafoor Hoth, district president of the Balochistan Awami Party, not a single Gwadar resident was hired to work at the airport, “not even as a watchman.” He also questioned, “Forget the other jobs, how many Baloch people are at this port that was built for CPEC?”
Protests over living conditions erupted in December, lasting 47 days before the government promised improvements in electricity and water supply. Since then, no progress has been made on fulfilling these commitments.
A Future Without Inclusion?
Experts believe that CPEC’s potential benefits are being lost due to the exclusion of local labor and resources. Instead of fostering economic growth, Chinese investments have led to heavy security measures that deepen mistrust between the Baloch people and the Pakistani government.
“The Pakistani government is not willing to give anything to the Baloch people, and the Baloch are not willing to take anything from the government,” said Khalid. Until local communities see real progress, the gleaming airport in Gwadar will remain a symbol of unfulfilled promises.