GWADAR (The Thursday Times) — Pakistan International Airlines will restore two additional flights between Karachi and Gwadar, as part of a broader government initiative to enhance the port city’s air connectivity and accelerate progress on CPEC-linked economic activity.
Pakistan’s national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), is expanding its operations to Gwadar by reintroducing two additional weekly flights from Karachi, beginning the first week of August. The announcement was made by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, who framed the move as a crucial step in unlocking the city’s economic potential.
The expansion marks a significant increase from the single current flight operating on the route and is expected to support rising demand from traders, logistics personnel, and port officials associated with the growing Gwadar Free Zones and China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
Chaudhry described the flight restoration as aligned with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s business-oriented vision, which aims to make strategic infrastructure more accessible to investors and enterprise stakeholders. Improved air connectivity, he said, is vital for ensuring timely movement of people and cargo, particularly for CPEC’s time-sensitive logistics and development operations.
The minister emphasised that reliable and frequent air links to Gwadar would directly benefit the port’s operations and would also enhance the city’s viability as a hub for trade and foreign investment. He described the added flights as the beginning of a “new chapter” in Gwadar’s transformation from an isolated coastal town to a fully integrated economic engine.
Government officials have indicated that future phases of expansion may include international routes, pending demand and the progress of ongoing infrastructure development at Gwadar International Airport.
