ISLAMABAD: The United States has pledged to provide $90 million for the construction of Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Highway (N-25), according to an agreement here signed on Monday.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, National Highways Authority (NHA) Chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarrar and US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson signed the agreement.

The US government will initially provide $64m and later $26m for the completion of the project expected to boost regional trade.

Mr Iqbal said the government was paying attention to the uplift of communications and transport sectors. “Balochistan is on our top priority in this regard.”

While highlighting the development vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he said upgrading and repairing highways was important for regional progress. The N-25, he said, would facilitate access to Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asian States.

The American ambassador reiterated his government’s resolve to continue to provide aid to Pakistan for rebuilding essential infrastructure.

He said funding this highway was one element of a comprehensive US programme in Pakistan to help restore essential public infrastructures in remote communities.

To date, the US had funded construction and rehabilitation of nearly 900 kilometres of roads, including four major trade routes between Pakistan and Afghanistan and the construction of 474 kilometres of roads in Fata, he added.

It is to recall that a former federal minister for communication, Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan, had told the then National Assembly that containers carrying supplies to US-led forces in Afghanistan had caused damages amoun­ting to Rs100 billion to roads infrastructure in Pakistan.

He had demanded compensation for the damages.

General Manager of Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Highway Imran Khan Yousafzai gave a briefing on the project.