WORLD
Pakistan’s historic milestone: New Gwadar International Airport operationalized, first inaugural commercial flight lands



Islamabad, Hilal Ahmad, January 20, AZERTAC
Pakistan’s New Gwadar International Airport, a key project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was operationalized on Monday after an inaugural flight landed at the airport.
The airport is Pakistan’s largest airport in terms of area and its runway is capable of accommodating large aircrafts including Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 and is spread over 4,300 acres of land. A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight landed at the new airport and was welcomed by Pakistan’s Defence and Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif along with the Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan province.
Constructed at a cost of approximately 50 billion rupees, the airport was formally opened for commercial planes after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight landed at the Gwadar International Airport, making it the first commercial aircraft to arrive at the new airport after its inauguration.
The Aviation Ministry in a statement said that Pakistan achieved a landmark moment in its aviation history as the first commercial flight successfully landed at the New Gwadar International Airport. A PIA flight departing from Karachi and touching down at the state-of-the-art Gwadar airport carrying 46 passengers, officially marked the commencement of operations at the newly inaugurated airport.
New Gwadar International Airport is a new Greenfield airport being built in Gwadar, Pakistan and the airport will handle domestic and international operations. The airport development is a part of the $56bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) development, which is a cornerstone of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.
The Airport will be the one of the biggest in Pakistan and will also become the nation’s second airport capable of handling A380 aircrafts. It is expected to stimulate the development in Gwadar and boost trade between Pakistan and China.
Pakistan’s Defence and Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, while addressing the gathering emphasized the strategic importance of the New Gwadar International Airport in driving economic growth, fostering regional tourism, and strengthening international connectivity.
The New Gwadar International Airport is poised to play a pivotal role in connecting Pakistan to global markets and facilitating trade, tourism, and economic development. The successful landing of PIA flight PK-503 is a significant step toward realizing Gwadar’s potential as a regional and global hub for commerce and connectivity.