GWADAR: Due to ongoing security issues in the area, the inauguration of the New Gwadar International Airport ( NGIA ) has been postponed for the third time.
Originally scheduled to begin operations on January 1, 2025, the airport, which is a key part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ( CPEC ), will now remain closed indefinitely, the Balochistan Post reported.
According to reports from The Balochistan Times, Pakistan International Airlines ( PIA ) has also canceled its first commercial flight.
A big infrastructure project funded by China for USD 250 million, the NGIA, is designed to accommodate the A380 and other large aircraft. The original opening day of the airport, which was set for August 14, 2024, was intended to coincide with Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations, but it was postponed as a result of demonstrations organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee ( BYC).
The second delay followed a series of deadly attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army ( BLA ), which targeted key CPEC-related infrastructure, including highways, railway bridges, and mineral transport vehicles, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
This most recent wait shows the growing security risks that separatist Baloch groups, which oppose Chinese investments in the area, pose.
The BLA, a big armed group advocating for Baloch democracy, has repeatedly targeted Chinese jobs and citizens in Pakistan. Significant problems include a 2018 suicide bombing on a vehicle carrying Chinese professionals, attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi, and a 2023 strike in Gwadar that killed 13 folks, including four Chinese nationals.
The BLA has even warned foreign citizens to prevent Balochistan, calling it a “war zone”, according to The Balochistan Post.
The Civil Aviation Authority and the Balochistan authorities have decided to examine security arrangements before opening the airport in response to these challenges. The Majeed Brigade of the BLA has pledged to continue its battle against Chinese interests, which will only make Pakistan’s efforts to maintain balance and draw in foreign investment.
