In the current era where domestic airline fares across Pakistan have become relatively affordable, one exception remains strikingly unjust:
Airfares Gwadar-Karachi and Karachi-Gwadar airfares. Despite the strategic importance of Gwadar due to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), no relief or travel incentives have been provided to the local people of Gwadar.
At present, local passengers are virtually absent on flights, as airfares are unaffordable for most residents. Only government officials or those traveling on official duty can afford to fly. Meanwhile, local families are forced to endure a 10–11 hour road journey via bus, often with children and elders.
A comparison highlights the injustice:
• Gwadar to Karachi
o Distance: 288 nautical miles
o Flight Time: ~1 hour 25 minutes
o Fare: Rs. 25,000 to 45,000
• Karachi to Islamabad
o Distance: 610 nautical miles
o Flight Time: ~2 hours
o Fare: Rs. 18,000 to 22,000
How is it justified that a shorter and less costly route
(Gwadar–Karachi) carries a much higher fare than double-distance flights in other regions?
Jalil Baloch (Gwadar)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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