ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP):Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the Senate on Friday that Balochistan remained a foremost priority for the federal government and was receiving proportionately higher development allocations under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
Responding to a question by Senator Jan Muhammad on progress of the M-8 motorway, the minister said the approximately 890-kilometre highway — part of the western alignment of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) — was aimed at improving connectivity and economic activity in Balochistan.
He said several sections of the motorway had already been completed and were operational, while the remaining stretches, including the Hoshab–Awaran and Awaran–Naal sections, were under construction.
The government is targeting completion of the remaining 314 kilometres by December 2026, subject to availability of funds and improvement in the security situation.
The minister said work on the project had faced delays due to security challenges, restricted working hours and insufficient releases of development funds.
He added that concerns regarding the condition or maintenance of certain road segments could be taken up with the relevant authorities.
Reaffirming the government’s development focus, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that when development spending was assessed relative to population, Balochistan was receiving a higher PSDP allocation than Punjab.
He said the government remained committed to improving infrastructure, connectivity and economic opportunities in the province.