Work on $230m ‘mega’ airport in Gwadar under way

Ag APP

ISLAMABAD: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa has said the construction of a $230 million international airport in Gwadar is under way, which he described as a “harbinger for development”.

In a tweet on Saturday, Bajwa, who is also the special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, reaffirmed the commitment in launching and completing all projects under CPEC in Gwadar in line with the Prime Minister’s directives.

He said: “Gwadar International Airport construction in progress. We reaffirm our commitment to launching and completing all projects in Gwadar in line with PM’s directive. Mega airport costing $230M will be a harbinger of development of Gwadar City/Gwadar Port.”

In a tweet a day earlier, the CPEC authority chairman said the Prime Minister was briefed on the progress of CPEC projects. According to Bajwa, the Premier ordered “all projects must be completed expeditiously, their dividend must reach all Pakistanis”. Bajwa also wrote that CPEC is a “reflection of Pak-China iron brotherhood” and is a “guarantor of our future prosperity”. In the briefing, Prime Minister Imran Khan, while calling the CPEC an excellent project for Pakistan’s socioeconomic uplift, said the gigantic multifaceted initiative would guarantee “a bright future” for the country.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the corridor was the manifestation of Pakistan-China friendship and the government would “complete it at any cost” to pass on its benefits to the citizens. While applauding the performance of CPEC Authority, the Prime Minister directed for all necessary measures to further improve its working as well as capability. Federal ministers Asad Umar, Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and Omar Ayub Khan, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razzak Dawood and , CPEC Authority Chairman Asim Saleem Bajwa and senior officers of the organizations concerned attended the meeting.