ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Monday announced that construction of $2 billion Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6) and Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) will start this year.

The federal minister announced this while chairing a meeting of the National Highway Authority (NHA).

The M-6 project, an integral part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has already been delayed by six years.

In a recent meeting, a Senate panel had ordered the NHA to give top priority to much-awaited M-6 project.

The Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development reviewed M-6 and directed the NHA to halt work on all other road projects and immediately start construction of M-6 project.

On the occasion, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal had assured the committee members of implementing all decisions of the panel and agreed that the first priority would be given to M-6 project.

In a statement last month, Mr Iqbal had said that work on the much-delayed M-6 project, along with M-9, would start next year.

He had also floated an option to bifurcate the whole M-6 project into three separate portions.

During the meeting on Monday, Mr Khan said the government also aimed to commence work on Mansehra, Naran, and Kaghan motorways in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the same period.

He said the Quetta-Karachi Highway (N-25) in Balochistan was also being upgraded to four-lane motorway.

The minister also called for submitting a detailed plan for 18km link road from Lahore to Kasur.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2025