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ISLAMABAD:
The government on Friday informed the Senate that the new Gwadar International Airport, operational since January 20, 2025, along with the Gwadar Free Zone and improved road connectivity, are expected to facilitate access of Balochistan’s agriculture, mining and fisheries sectors to domestic and international markets.
Responding during Question Hour on behalf of Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the airport and associated infrastructure were part of wider efforts to strengthen trade logistics and economic activity in the province. He told the House that a fully developed Gwadar Free Zone, spanning around 2,281 acres at Gwadar Port, is operational and designed to support trade, re-export, warehousing, distribution and industrial activities.
The minister said investors in the free zone are being offered incentives, including a 23-year tax holiday on federal, provincial and local taxes, lease options of up to 99 years, and exemption from import duties and sales taxes on machinery and equipment.
