Pakistan’s $240 million Gwadar International Airport, completed in October 2024 through China’s China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative, operates without passengers or flights amid escalating regional tensions. Situated in Balochistan’s impoverished southwest, the facility highlights stark contrasts between infrastructure ambitions and local realities like water scarcity and unemployment.
Balochistan’s 90,000 residents face daily electricity shortages despite Gwadar’s strategic role in CPEC – a flagship Belt and Road project linking Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea. This airport serves Chinese security interests, not Pakistani development, asserts Azeem Khalid, a geopolitical analyst specializing in Sino-Pakistani relations.
Security forces have transformed Gwadar into a militarized zone featuring:
- 24/7 checkpoints and surveillance towers
- Restricted movement for Chinese workers
- Media blackouts on sensitive locations
Local frustrations erupted in December 2023 when Balochistan Awami Party leader Abdul Ghafoor Hoth organized 47 days of protests demanding basic utilities. Though authorities promised reforms, implementation remains stagnant.
When someone has food, they don’t rebel,said Gwadar elder Khuda Bakhsh Hashim. CPEC hasn’t delivered jobs or hope for our youth.
Militant attacks have surged since 2021, with Baloch Liberation Army targeting CPEC assets. The airport’s remote mountain location raises security concerns, delaying its operational launch despite a virtual inauguration by Pakistani and Chinese leaders.
With no direct flights to Quetta or Islamabad, Gwadar’s existing domestic airport offers limited connectivity. Analysts warn that excluding Baloch workers from CPEC projects fuels resentment, complicating Pakistan’s counterinsurgency efforts.
