Gwadar airport ready to connect regions: Ahsan Iqbal

BEIJING: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Prof Ahsan Iqbal said that the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) is ready to be opened and hoped that this airport would become an important hub of air transportation and a gateway to connect different regions in future.

The New Gwadar International Airport has been gifted by the government of China to the people of Pakistan in general and people of Gwadar particular and it will stand as a monument of Pakistan-China friendship,he told APP during his official visit of China.

Terming the airport as another milestone and flagship of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the minister hoped that with the training that Pakistani staff will get in China, this airport in future would become an important hub of air transportation and it will become a gateway to connect different regions.

As skilled manpower is a key prerequisite for the operation of the NGIA, 20 Pakistani officials of the airport have embarked on their multi-disciplinary training courses in China. Under the training program, China Airport Construction Group will transfer technical and hands-on knowledge to Pakistani staff to run airport operation independently. This is the first-of-its-kind human resource training courses aiming to hone the technical, administrative and managerial expertise of the staff of NGIA, the Chinese media reported.

The NGIA consists of 32 components such as a state-of-the-art runway, aprons, a terminal, along with civil, technical, electrical and communication infrastructure and allied facilities.

The Pakistani staff of the airport is receiving professional training courses from Chinese officials who installed and activated the entire airport system. According to an official, the Government of Pakistan did not bear any cost for the training as all the expenses incurred have been executed under China Aid.

He said that the most of the officials from the Civil Aviation Authority in the section of operation, management, security, engineering and mechanical work have been joining the courses in groups. The first phase of NGIA spreads across an area of 4,300 acres and will welcome the entire load of national and international passengers. In the second phase, it will be equipped to handle cargo. After completion, it will be the biggest airport in Pakistan.