THE air connectivity established by the inauguration of PIA flights between Karachi and Gwadar is a major step towards linking the southwestern port city with, and opening it up to, the rest of the country and by extension to the world at large for travel and trade. Political rhetoric apart, the new state-of-the-art Gwadar International Airport, built by China at a cost of $320m as a gift for the people of the region, is considered as vital a link for the development of the Makran region of Balochistan and the CPEC transport infrastructure initiative as the city’s seaport. Though it may appear to be a small step at the moment, the launch of two weekly commercial flights to and from Karachi could significantly enhance the accessibility of Gwadar, often referred to as the ‘crown jewel’ of the multibillion-dollar CPEC initiative, in terms of both freight and passenger traffic.

But, as they say, one swallow doesn’t make a summer. There is no doubt that the airport, like the city’s deep-water port, “symbolises a new era of prosperity for Gwadar and the rest of Balochistan” as the aviation and defence minister said to mark the commencement of commercial flight operations from there. The dream of economic progress, revival of tourism and industrialisation of Gwadar and the Makran region cannot be realised without addressing the challenges of security. Indeed, the new airport can play a critical role in “connecting Pakistan to global markets and facilitating trade, tourism, and economic development”. But its potential will remain suppressed till the time peace returns to the region, a hotspot of the Baloch insurgency. That the authorities have so far not been able to commercialise the Gwadar air or seaport underlines the reluctance on the part of both the local and Chinese investors to bet on the huge unrealised economic potential of the city, primarily on account of security challenges.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2025