The incredible £179m abandoned airport that’s completely empty | World | News

A large airport with a capacity of 400,000 passengers stands completely empty with a person or aircraft. Located in the middle of the desert in Pakistan, the new Gwadar international airport was completed in October 2024 and cost £ 179 million to build. The airport was completely financed by China.

Not only the country’s most expensive airport, but also the biggest stretch on the 4,300 -acre land. However, months after completion, it remains lifeless without flight, aircraft and no passengers.

Azeem Khalid, an international relations expert in Pakistan-China vineyards, told the EP: “This is not for Pakistan or Gwadar.

“For China, so they can have safe access to their citizens Gwadar and Balochistan.”

For more than a decade, China has invested in the city of Gwadar as part of the Ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) attempt, which aims to associate the Western Sincan region with the Arabian Sea through the Gwadar Port of Gwadar.

Gwadar, a city in the province of troubled Balochistan, is based on electrical imports from Iran or solar panels due to lack of connection with the national network of Pakistan, and access to clean water is scarce.

Security concerns delayed the opening of the airport, which was marked with a special ceremony without a public flight.

The locals feel excluded from the benefits of China-Pakistan economic corridor projects, including the airport, where a single default is not employed.

The residents, who were disappointed due to bad living conditions and lack of employment, organized great protests at the end of last year and also protested the exploitation of natural resources. Although the authorities promised improvements in water, electricity and jobs, progress was reported to be slow or destroyed.

FCDO is currently advising Balochistan against all travels due to the “extremely tense situation” on the Pakistan-Iran border.