With colorful celebrations and family-friendly activities, residents of Gwadar welcomed the New Year at Model Beach Park, marking the start of 2026 with music, cultural events, and fireworks. The event was held under the auspices of the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) in collaboration with the locally run Baloch Insight Café, drawing large crowds, especially women and children, to the women-focused park, according to Gwadar Pro.

The celebration included musical performances, creative cultural activities, and interactive games organized for women and children. The festivities culminated in a fireworks display that lit up the night sky, with attendees cheering and applauding performances by local youth musicians and artists. Participants said such events not only bring joy but also promote social harmony, cultural awareness, and positive community engagement.

The gathering was aimed at welcoming the New Year with renewed hope for progress, prosperity, peace, and stability in the region. Model Beach Park, developed by the GDA as Gwadar’s only dedicated recreational space for women and children, aims to provide a secure and peaceful environment for families to relax and enjoy outdoor activities. The initiative has received wide public appreciation as a step toward creating inclusive social spaces in the rapidly developing port city.

A highlight of the park, and the New Year’s event, was the Baloch Insight Café, a venture established by three local women entrepreneurs that has become a popular social spot. The café, regarded as one of the first female-run eateries in Gwadar’s public spaces, serves as a hub for women to socialize and pursue economic opportunities.

Its founders say the café reflects a broader effort to empower women through entrepreneurship and community engagement. Women’s growing participation is increasingly visible across Gwadar, not only in community spaces such as the Baloch Insight Café, but also in higher education, where a considerable number of female students are now enrolled across departments at the University of Gwadar.

Recent admissions at its Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute show women making up nearly 44 percent of successful candidates, reflecting a wider social shift toward greater female participation in the city’s public life.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China