New Gwadar Airport would bring prosperity in the area & create employment opportunities: PM Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD, Dec 30 (SABAH): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed for improving the communications and road network between New Gwadar International Airport and other areas of the country, especially Balochistan province.

He was chairing a review meeting in Islamabad on Monday, regarding the New Gwadar International Airport. The Prime Minister also directed the officials concerned to devise a workable strategy for making the Airport a busy transit point.

He said operationalization of New Gwadar International Airport will bring prosperity to the area and create employment opportunities.  The Prime Minister said Gwadar International airport is a vivid illustration of Pak-China friendship and we are grateful to our great friend China for this modern airport of international standards.

He directed that fool-proof security arrangements should be ensured at the Airport.

The meeting was briefed that the New Gwadar International Airport is the largest airport in the country in terms of area and can handle four hundred thousand passengers annually and A-380 aircrafts.

Flights from Gwadar to Muscat will start from 10th of next month while talks are underway with private airlines of Pakistan, China, Oman and United Arab Emirates for starting domestic and international flight operations from Gwadar.

The meeting was also briefed that to improve road connectivity with the New Gwadar Airport, the first phase of East-Bay Expressway has been completed while feasibility of the second phase is being prepared.          

Personnel of Pakistan Airport Authority, Airport Security Force, Pakistan Customs, Anti-Narcotics Force, Federal Investigation Agency and Border Health Service have been deployed at the airport.