ISLAMABAD, Aug 23: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday approved the construction of a motorway between Faisalabad and Karachi in an effort to improve communication links in the North-South corridor and accelerate the pace of economic development in the country.

The decision was made following a presentation by National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman Maj Gen Farrukh Javed on the country’s highways and motorways at the PM House.

Mr Aziz said the decision was part of the government’s policy to improve and expand the existing road infrastructure to augment the growing needs of the economy and meet the future requirements.

The prime minister said Pakistan needed a world-class logistic chain which included a controlled access motorway linking Faisalabad with Karachi.

The motorway between Peshawar and Rawalpindi is under construction and the one linking Rawalpindi with Lahore and Faisalabad is already in use, he said.

Mr Aziz also called for developing the Grand Trunk Road into a quality road for improved and safer access for goods and people. Such an arrangement would also reduce the travel time, according to him.

The meeting also discussed improving links of Gwadar with up-country on an urgent basis as this was vital for development of a national corridor linking Torkham to Karachi.

It considered matters relating to the national highways improvement programme undertaken by the NHA at a cost of $261 million.

The prime minister asked the NHA to improve the pre-qualification process of international bidders and consider the experience and financial strength of each firm. He said joint ventures with local partners needed to be encouraged.

He directed immediate repair work of roads damaged by recent floods.

The prime minister was also briefed on progress on Islamabad-Peshawar, Lahore-Islamabad, Multan-DG Khan-Qila Saifullah motorway besides the Karakoram Highway, Lyari expressway and Karachi Northern Bypass.—APP