It's a long-shot, but hear me out...
I think Gwadar can make a good home for the bulk of the defence industry initiatives, like:
- Aviation City/NASTP
- Naval shipyard
- Expansion of POF
- etc
The strategic value of moving these sites to Gwadar includes pulling them farther back from the Indian border, bringing the producers closer to the firing ranges (e.g., Sonmiani), and having more space to expand various production sites.
In fact, it's not even an issue of moving anything, but expanding the industry into Gwadar.
For example, a new naval shipyard will help take the burden from KSEW and, potentially, lead KSEW to focus more on civilian ships (like merchant vessels).
A second POF could be set up in Gwadar so that we have more than one ammunition factory. Or set up a division focused on guided rockets, cruise missiles, glide bombs, and other guided munitions.
Likewise, you expand PAC whereby Gwadar takes on UAV, UCAV, loitering munition, etc., work. Or maybe a satellite production program.
Once you actually insert some industry in Gwadar, the population and commercial activity will take root. It won't be nearly as much as Karachi, but it wouldn't be a ghost town either.
In fact, with the right planning, you could nurture a high-tech cluster centered around defence. Set up STEM schools and labs, encourage the local youth into an education funnel from early age, and see from there, basically.
We'd probably expect a naval base, air base, and an army facility there as well. The result would be that the armed forces set up a presence in that region, expanding their reach further west.