Jiwani Airport

Military Decommissioning. The airport, known as RAF Jiwani, was a strategic military airfield built and operated by the British. Its closure was a direct result of the end of World War II, which eliminated its strategic necessity as a staging and anti-submarine patrol base. With the British withdrawal from the subcontinent, the base was decommissioned and abandoned.

The site of the former RAF Jiwani is now completely derelict and abandoned. Satellite imagery clearly shows the ghostly outlines of its three distinct, decaying runways and associated taxiways. The infrastructure is in a state of total disrepair and is unusable for any form of aviation. The land is barren and undeveloped, though it is located in a strategic area near the modern Pakistan Navy base, PNS Akram. It is not used for any formal purpose.

The airfield holds significant historical importance as a key Allied base during World War II. Known as 'Jiwani No. 101 Staging Post', it was a crucial link on the vital Karachi-Aden air route, which connected British India with the Middle East and Europe. Its primary operations included:

1. **Staging and Refueling:** It served as a stopover for long-range transport and bomber aircraft transiting the region.
2. **Anti-Submarine Warfare:** Coastal Command aircraft were based here to patrol the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, protecting Allied shipping lanes from German and Japanese submarine threats.
3. **Logistical Hub:** The base supported military operations in the Persian Gulf and the wider Middle Eastern theatre.

Local legend also holds that Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) stayed at the officer's mess here, known as the 'Victoria Hut', during a layover when her plane developed a fault, though this is not officially documented in royal itineraries. The airfield's multiple, extensive runways were a testament to its wartime importance.

There are zero known plans or prospects for reopening or rehabilitating this specific historical airfield (PK-0083). The infrastructure is non-existent, and the cost of rebuilding would be prohibitive. Any future aviation needs for the town are served by the newer, separate Jiwani Airport (IATA: JIW, ICAO: OPJI), which is located a few kilometers to the northeast of this historical site. Even the newer airport has had its commercial services suspended, making the prospect of reviving a long-abandoned WWII field entirely unfeasible.