Gwadar Airport to be operational by end of this month

GWADAR: Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has announced that the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIAP) will start operations by the end of this month, adding that the final preparations are underway.

The authority’s spokesperson in a press release confirmed that PAA is fully committed to complete preparation and open doors of the airport for travelers by month-end.

To review the readiness of the facility, the acting Director General of PAA, Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, along with Deputy DG Airports Engr Sadiqur Rehman, visited the airport on Thursday.

Project Director Faizullah Khattak briefed the officials on the operational readiness of the airport.

The visit aimed to engage with representatives of the key stakeholders, including the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA), Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), Gwadar Chamber of Commerce, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Army, and others.

During the visit, the project team also briefed airport stakeholders on available business opportunities and the economic zones tied to the project.

“Expressing satisfaction over the airport’s readiness, AVM Zeeshan Saeed commended the project team for their efforts. He reaffirmed PAA’s commitment to operationalising the airport by the end of this month,” the press release read.

The state-of-the-art airport, built with modern facilities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has cost $246 million, including a grant from China.

Equipped with a large runway and advanced terminal building, the airport is capable of accommodating all types of large aircraft.