Dharshini RDA 
The new international airport in Gwadar should start offering flights to Muscat from 10 January, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office announced on Monday, after delays due to security problems.
The $200 million Chinese-funded facility, designed to accommodate both domestic and international flights, is one of Pakistan’s largest airports. Capable of handling Airbus A380s, it is expected to handle 4 million passengers a year, according to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
The opening of the airport was delayed by a security review in August, following militant attacks in Balochistan. At a meeting on Monday, the Prime Minister asked officials to make the airport a major transit hub and to improve road links with Balochistan.
The airport is part of China’s $65 billion investment in Pakistan as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key component of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road initiative. Nearby, a deep-water port, developed in partnership with Pakistan, Oman and China, is nearing completion.
The airport at Gwadar includes cold storage, cargo facilities and banking services through the State Bank of Pakistan. Airport security agencies, including the Airport Security Force and the Federal Investigation Agency, have been deployed to enhance security.
In Balochistan, where Gwadar is located, militant groups have targeted Chinese investment and personnel in the past as foreign exploitation of the resource-rich region. Recent attacks, including a suicide bombing in Karachi that killed two Chinese workers, have exacerbated tensions.
Beijing has reportedly urged Islamabad to allow Chinese security personnel on the ground, but Pakistan has opposed this. Mr Sharif stressed the importance of stringent security measures at the airport, which symbolises the strong partnership between the two countries.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and other senior officials attended the meeting. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Privatisation Minister Abdul Aleem Khan took part in the meeting via video link.
