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The Pakistan government has postponed the opening of the nearly USD 250 million New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) due to security concerns, marking a setback in efforts to boost Chinese investment in the struggling economy, according to Nikkei Asia.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled to inaugurate the airport, located near a crucial port in the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), on August 14--Pakistan's Independence Day. However, the ceremony was abruptly postponed due to security issues following mass protests that nearly paralyzed Gwadar earlier this month. The report notes that no new opening date has been set for the $246 million China-funded project, which began after a 2015 grant deal with Beijing. A government official, speaking anonymously, stated that "all the required work and prerequisite arrangements on the New Gwadar airport have been completed and it's ready for operations." The delay, after an initial postponement last year, is partly attributed to concerns about lower-than-expected flight demand in the region. The single-runway airport, located about 45 kilometres from the China-controlled Gwadar port, spans 4,300 acres and can accommodate large aircraft like the Airbus A380, making it Pakistan's largest airport by size. Repeatedly, Pakistani governments have touted the multibillion-dollar partnership with China as a means to transform Gwadar into a hub comparable to Singapore. However, the Prime Minister recently ordered that half of all sea cargo for government agencies, initially destined for southern Karachi, be redirected to Gwadar's port, highlighting its current underuse. The report also draws comparisons with Sri Lanka's Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, built with Chinese loans and labelled the "world's emptiest international airport" due to low flight activity. Amid ongoing protests in Gwadar demanding civil, political, and economic rights, Beijing has grown cautious about future investments, emphasizing increased security measures for its nationals in Pakistan and announcing new counterterror operations in June. Despite hopes that the new airport will attract more Chinese investment, some remain sceptical about its benefits for the local population. "Air travel is quite expensive for the majority of people in Gwadar," remarked Mariyam Suleman, a local now based in Canada. (ANI)
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