By admin 
China invested billions to build a state-of-the-art international airport in Pakistan’s port city of Gwadar, yet the facility remains eerily empty. No planes land, no passengers arrive, and the massive $240 million (approximately Rs 2,000 crore) project now appears to be a costly misstep.
A Failed Economic Dream?
The airport was designed as a crucial component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an ambitious initiative connecting China’s Xinjiang province to the Arabian Sea. However, Gwadar itself remains underdeveloped, lacking even basic necessities like consistent electricity and clean drinking water. With a population of around 90,000, the city has yet to benefit from the much-touted economic boom.
Balochistan’s Struggles Continue
Gwadar is located in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which has been grappling with a separatist insurgency for decades. Many Baloch nationalist groups claim that the Pakistani government has long exploited their resources while offering little in return. Instead of prosperity, Chinese investments have intensified local tensions.
The Pakistani military maintains a heavy presence in Gwadar, with security checkpoints, barricades, and road closures disrupting daily life. Residents complain that they now require identification at every turn, a stark contrast to their previously unrestricted movement.
An elderly local, Khuda Baksh Hashim, lamented, “We have become strangers in our own city. We used to have overnight picnics in the mountains, but now we must constantly prove we belong here.”
Locals Left Out of Development
Despite government claims that CPEC has created 2,000 jobs, many locals insist they have been left out. Abdul Ghafoor Hoth, a leader of the Balochistan Awami Party, stated, “Not a single local person has been hired at Gwadar Airport—not even the watchmen. All workers are brought from outside.” Protests over this exclusion lasted 47 days, with demonstrators demanding basic necessities like electricity and water. However, the government has yet to take concrete action.
Security Overshadows Inauguration
Given the volatile situation, the airport’s inauguration was conducted virtually by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Even the ceremonial first flight was kept hidden from media and the public, highlighting the project’s deep security concerns.
CPEC: A Boon or Burden?
China has poured billions into Pakistan under CPEC, but instead of economic progress, it has sparked unrest. The rise in Chinese investments has coincided with increased militant activity. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, violent attacks had declined after 2014 but surged again after 2021. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, has grown more aggressive, further destabilizing the region.
Uncertain Future for Gwadar
Locals hoped that CPEC would bring development and job opportunities. Instead, they find themselves excluded from the benefits while their city becomes a battleground for political and economic interests.
The Pakistani government remains reluctant to empower the Baloch people, and many Baloch reject government intervention altogether. With billions spent on infrastructure projects, Gwadar should have been a thriving hub. Instead, it remains a city where residents struggle for basic necessities, and an expensive, state-of-the-art airport stands deserted—a symbol of misplaced priorities.
Gill Bikram Singh