Gwadar airport officially designated as international airport

The federal government has designated the Gwadar airport as an international airport, a significant development that would enable international flights to operate at the facility.

This designation also facilitates the airport’s use for cargo transportation.

In connection with this announcement, the Federal Board of Revenue has issued two notifications.

The first notification, issued under section (9), officially recognised Gwadar airport as an international airport. The second notification, issued under section (10), grants legal permission for passengers to board and disembark from international flights at Gwadar International Airport.

In October this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang virtually inaugurated the Beijing-funded Gwadar International Airport at a ceremony in Islamabad.

“It is a critical step for realising the vision of regional connectivity and whatever we have achieved in the last many years, demonstrated the strength of Pakistan-China friendship,” he said after unveiling the plaque of the airport with his Pakistani counterpart.

Members of both delegations, ministers, military leadership and senior officials attended the ceremony.

The airport was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs54.98 billion (approximately $240 million). It features runways built to international standards.

The new airport is located 26 km northeast of the existing Gwadar airport, and spans 3,000 acres of land provided by the government of Pakistan. It is the second greenfield airport in the country, following the new Islamabad Airport.

The airport would be able to handle a variety of aircraft, including the ATR 72, Airbus A-300, Boeing 737, and Boeing 747, for both domestic and international flights.