ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have agreed on the construction of an expressway connecting Gwadar port with a new airport being developed by Beijing in the coastal town in Balochistan, state-run news agency APP reported on Friday.
The neighbouring countries agreed on the construction of an expressway connecting the Gwadar Port with the new Gwadar Airport during a held between Chinese officials and Pakistani Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who is on a visit to China.
“Additionally, feasibility studies for new motorways, including the Mirpur-Muzaffarabad and Karachi-Hyderabad routes, were agreed to be initiated at the earliest.”
China has committed more than $65 billion in investments across infrastructure, energy, and other sectors in Pakistan as part of the China and Pakistan Economic Cordier (CPEC), a flagship project of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Also Read: Pakistan-China agree to deepen cooperation for joint development
These projects include the deep-water Gwadar Port and the $200 million New Gwadar International Airport, which is being developed through a partnership involving Pakistan, Oman, and China.
The Pakistan Airports Authority recently reaffirmed its commitment to inaugurating the New Gwadar International Airport by the end of December. However, the airport’s launch was delayed for a security review following the August attacks.
Once operational, the facility will handle both domestic and international flights and is set to become one of Pakistan’s largest airports, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
This expressway and other planned infrastructure will enhance Gwadar’s connectivity.
