A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight landed at Gwadar International Airport, becoming the first commercial aircraft to arrive at the new airport after its inauguration on Monday.
According to the flight schedule available on the website of Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, the first flight, PK 593, was expected to take off at 9:20 am.
In addition to the passengers, senior officials from the aviation division were also traveling on the inaugural flight.
Meanwhile, Defense and Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti were present at the ceremony to welcome the passengers.
Furthermore, the inaugural flight was also greeted with a salute to the water.
The airport, which covers approximately 4,300 acres of land, was completed in December 2024 and is now fully operational with domestic and international flights.
Previously, the New Gwadar International Airport, developed with a $230 million grant from China, had largely remained dormant as the aviation and port authorities failed to market the facility internationally or hire consultants for its marketing.
