RAWALPINDI: The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has built roads spread over 500 kilometres to link the Gwadar port with other parts of the country, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

“The FWO took up the challenge to extend the benefits of Gwadar port to rest of the country by building roads in rugged mountainous terrain and highly inaccessible areas. The gigantic task was undertaken on the directives of the Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif,” the FWO said.

The project has now become a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

According to the FWO press release, unprecedented efforts were made for mobilisation of manpower and equipment on project sites and to date 502km of roads have been completed in less than one- and- a-half years.

In the line of duty, six military personnel and 10 civilian employees lost their lives and 29 others were injured in 136 security-related incidents.

Construction of these roads will link Gwadar port with Chaman, Dera Ismail Khan and the Indus Highway.

The average pace of work is approximately 1.5km per day, the FWO said.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2015

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