Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan here on Monday announced that the $2 billion projects for the M-6 and M-9 Motorways in Sindh are scheduled to begin this year.
He made these remarks while chairing a high level meeting of the National Highway Authority (NHA) Central Zone.
The minister said that the government aimed to commence work on the Mansehra, Naran, and Kaghan Motorways in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the same period. He further stated that the Quetta-Karachi N-25 highway in Balochistan was also being upgraded into 4 lane Motorway-standard. Additionally, significant Motorway projects connecting Sukkur, Hyderabad and Karachi in Sindh are also being initiated, he added.
During the meeting, the federal minister requested detailed plan for the 18-kilometer link road from Lahore to Kasur and emphasized that NHA’s presentations should be purposeful and of high quality. He instructed the Central Zone officials to expedite the pace of ongoing projects to ensure timely completion. The federal minister asserted that public accountability was paramount and that mismanagement or corruption would not be tolerated.
He stressed that the NHA must fulfill its responsibilities with integrity. In his remarks, Abdul Aleem Khan reiterated that no compromise would be made on the quality of the work which should be up to the mark by all means. He directed NHA to enhance the aesthetics and cleanliness of entry points to cities and to ensure that new highways adhere to predetermined standards of maintenance and beautification.
During his visit to the NHA Central Zone Headquarters, the minister planted a tree and received a briefing on the department’s performance alongside the Federal Secretary for Communications and the Chairman of NHA. Abdul Aleem Khan encouraged officers to work with dedication and diligence, assuring them that their rightful benefits would be granted and that honest officials would be duly recognized and encouraged. He also directed NHA officials to hold a joint meeting with the Ring Road Authority to resolve pending issues without any further delay.
