Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated New Gwadar International Airport

Gwadar: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) which was built with the financial assistance of China on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). gave The Prime Minister inaugurated the completion of the airport’s airbase infrastructure, including runways, taxiways and aprons.

The inauguration of the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) at a cost of Rs 60.208 billion is a milestone in the cooperation between China and Pakistan under the framework of CPEC,

which will provide air transport infrastructure and economic development. will get a boost that will change the destiny of Gwadar as an emerging logistics hub and hub for regional and international connectivity.

NGIA, a collaboration between China Airport Construction Group Company Limited and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Pakistan, consists of 32 components including state-of-the-art runways, aprons, a terminal as well as civil, technical, electrical and Communication infrastructure and other modern related facilities are included.

Spread over 4,300 acres as Pakistan’s second largest airport, NGIA has a fleet of narrow body aircraft such as ATR-72 and Boeing B-737 as well as Airbus A320 for domestic and international routes. There is capacity for wide-body aircraft such as the -380 and the Boeing B-747.

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The airport will be operated under the Open Skies policy and will be developed under the guidance of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

NGIA, fully funded by the Chinese government in 2011, is located in Gurandani, 26 km east of Gwadar city on the southwest Arabian Sea coast of Balochistan.

In his address, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that this is a happy day for me. As soon as I took over as Prime Minister, maybe 2 months later I visited Gwadar on June 2, 2022.

At this moment, I am very sad to see that many projects under CPEC have been delayed. I realized that there is not enough facility of drinking water and electricity for the local residents to run their household.

On this occasion, Governor Balochistan Abdul Wali Kakar emphasized that not only the new airport but the entire Gwadar Port plays an important role for the people of Balochistan and Pakistan. He said that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s services to the country in this regard are commendable.

Later, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal expressed his views. He said that I have an emotional attachment to Gwadar. When I visited here with the Chinese Vice Minister of National Development and Reform Commission, I realized that there is no standard hotel for VIP guests in Gwadar.

Then I requested Mr. Ashwini, the owner of PC Hotel, to open a branch here. When I visited Gwadar again in 2018, the General Manager of PC Gwadar told me that the hotel is full to capacity and they are planning for an expansion building. I am confident that our new airport will follow the same path of development.

Pointing out the geo-strategic and geo-economic importance of Gwadar, the Federal Minister expressed the hope that Gwadar will provide immense business and trade opportunities and regional connectivity for all regional countries. And NGIA will make it all even better.

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Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, Governor Balochistan Abdul Wali Kakar, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Faisal Sabzwari, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Minister of State for Communications were present at the ceremony.

Asad Mahmood, Chief Secretary Balochistan Abdul Aziz Aqeeli attended. Secretary Maritime Affairs Ghafran Memon and other civil and military personalities were present.