ISLAMABAD, March 19: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has decided to restart construction work on Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway Project.

In this connection, an agreement was signed between the National Highway Authority and a group of Pakistan’s major construction companies here on Tuesday. NHA Chairman Maj-Gen Farrukh Javed and chairman of the construction companies’ group Kamal Nasir Khan signed the agreement.

Maj-Gen Farrukh Javed, speaking on this occasion, said the government desired expeditious completion of highway projects in the country so that economic activities could be expanded.

Referring to the signing of the agreement, he said Pakistan was rich in experienced highway construction experts and the NHA desired to have advantage of the capabilities of national experts and engineers for construction of this Motorway which would help make country self-reliant in the field of construction.

He said the motorway project would be completed at a cost of Rs12 billion and it would be completed within four years.

He said their endeavour was to ensure the rehabilitation and compensation of all the affected persons of the M-1 section.

He said the latest construction techniques should be employed and maximum benefit be taken from latest developments for construction of the M-1 section.

Kamal Nasir Khan, while speaking on the occasion, said it was encouraging that the national talent would be utilized during construction of M-1 and national experts and engineers would avail opportunity to participate in national development projects. — APP