Gwadar International Airport a strategic asset for Pakistan’s economic future: PM

ISLAMABAD: While praising the World Bank for committing to provide a $20 billion loan to Pakistan over the next decade as part of the Country Partnership Framework aimed at promoting inclusive and sustainable development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted that the investments would be directed towards various social sectors under this framework.

During a federal cabinet meeting, Sharif noted that the government’s strides toward stabilising the economy were reflected in positive trends of key economic indicators, adding that the newly-inaugurated Gwadar International Airport – a vital component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – would not only boost Balochistan’s economy, but also positively impact the national economic landscape.

Also read: New Gwadar International Airport becomes operational

 “The Gwadar Airport has the potential to bring significant benefits to the people of Balochistan and the entire country if operated commercially,” he stated, adding that the airport was built with a $230 million grant from China, a valuable gift to Pakistan that deserves acknowledgment.

As the largest airport in Pakistan, covering an area of 4,300 acres and located 26 kilometres from Gwadar city in the Gorandani area, it features a single runway that measures 3,658 meters in length and 75 meters in width, designed to accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747.

Condemning those responsible for violence in Balochistan as adversaries of the nation, he said that anyone involved in the heinous acts of killing innocent individuals would face consequences. He stated that obstructing the completion of Gwadar Port is also an act of aggression against Pakistan, denoting such individuals as enemies who do not wish for the port to become operational.