The recently inaugurated Gwadar Airport, built under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), faces significant challenges due to a lack of commercial planning and persistent security issues in Balochistan.
The $230 million facility, funded by China, was designed to handle large aircraft and serve as a regional hub. However, officials have admitted it will remain underutilized until Gwadar Port and the adjacent Free Zone are fully operational.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal criticized the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) for failing to develop a commercial strategy for the airport despite repeated directives over the past two years.
According to a statement issued by the planning ministry on Thursday, he warned that delays in attracting airlines would diminish the airport’s viability.
PAA officials informed the minister that without the development of Gwadar Port and the Free Zone, the airport cannot achieve commercial success. They added that local airlines, apart from the financially struggling Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), are unwilling to operate flights to Gwadar.
The minister proposed offering incentives such as free landing services and discounted rates for at least five years to attract airline operators. However, he acknowledged that unstable security and political conditions in the region present significant obstacles.
The airport’s inauguration last month was held in Islamabad instead of Gwadar due to security concerns. An earlier plan for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese officials to open the facility in August was canceled following heightened security risks in Balochistan.
CPEC projects, including the airport, have faced strong opposition from Baloch political and armed groups. Protests against CPEC have been staged domestically and internationally, while Baloch armed groups have consistently targeted economic and military installations associated with the initiative.
Earlier this year, the Baloch Student Organization-Azad (BSO-Azad) described the airport as a tool for “Punjabi and Chinese colonization.” The group alleged it was part of a broader effort to settle non-Baloch populations in the region, potentially reducing the Baloch to a minority in their homeland.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)’s Majeed Brigade has carried out multiple high-profile attacks targeting Chinese nationals and projects linked to CPEC. These include the 2019 assault on the Chinese consulate in Karachi and the 2022 bombing at Karachi University, among others.
In October, the BLA claimed responsibility for an attack near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, stating that a “fidayee” from its Majeed Brigade breached security to target a Chinese delegation. The group, in its statement, described the attack as a response to China’s disregard of earlier warnings to leave Balochistan.
The BLA vowed to continue targeting Chinese interests, stating, “We will not allow any foreign power to occupy Balochistan” and declaring its capability to strike “anytime and anywhere.” Analysts say such attacks underscore the group’s ability to undermine Chinese projects in Pakistan, further complicating the operational challenges faced by CPEC-related investments.