Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to inaugurate operations at the Gwadar International Airport during his visit to Pakistan next week, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. The $200-million airport, funded by China, was originally set to begin operations earlier, but this was delayed due to a security review following deadly attacks by separatist militants in August, which targeted Chinese nationals, including engineers.
China has assured that it will work closely with Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of its personnel and projects in the country. The region has seen a resurgence of militant activity since 2022 after the cessation of a previous ceasefire.
Li, along with a delegation of ministers and officials, will visit Pakistan from October 14 to 17, coinciding with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting scheduled for October 15 and 16 in Islamabad. The SCO includes nine full members, including China, India, Iran, and Russia.
The new Gwadar airport will serve both domestic and international flights, making it one of the largest airports in Pakistan, as stated by the Civil Aviation Authority. The inauguration by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had initially been planned for August 14 but was postponed due to protests by an ethnic Baloch rights group.
Balochistan has a long-standing insurgency by separatist groups, leading to frequent attacks on government, military, and Chinese interests in the region as they demand a share of its mineral wealth. Recently, two Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion near Karachi’s international airport, as reported by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan.
