ISLAMABAD, May 17: The Islamic Development Bank has offered $100 million for the construction of roads linking Gwadar port with Central Asia and major economic centres of the country.

The offer was made in a meeting between an IDB delegation led by Nabil A. Nassief and Communications Secretary Iftikhar Rashid on Saturday.

Briefing the delegation, the secretary said Pakistan’s geostrategic location made it the most attractive country for transit traffic to the Central Asian republics.

Mr Rashid said the success of Gwadar port hinged, apart from other aspects, on its linkage with the Central Asian republics, Afghanistan and major economic centres of the country through highways of international standard.

He requested the IDB to consider financing of road projects, including the Indus Highway and Ratodero-Khuzdar-Awaran road projects.

The Indus Highway upon improvement would play a significant role in reducing the traffic load on the GT Road as it would reduce the distance to Karachi by 400km, he said.—APP