ISLAMABAD, May 20 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professional Ahsan Iqbal and Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Tuesday jointly chaired a meeting that underscored the urgent need to modernize Pakistan’s transport infrastructure, focusing on priority development projects.
They deliberated deliberate on the status of national highways, motorway initiatives, and the optimal use of limited development funds.
Given the constraints on development funding, Ahsan Iqbal said, the government would focus exclusively on priority projects, with highway construction ranked at the top, adding “We must channel our resources into projects that deliver maximum impact.”
He said M-6 Motorway in Sindh would be launched in the upcoming fiscal year, calling it a “game changer” for southern Pakistan, where improved connectivity could spark economic transformation.
The meeting also reviewed plans to upgrade the Islamabad-Murree Highway and discussed the proposed Naran-Kaghan Motorway project, both aimed at enhancing access and boosting tourism in northern regions.
Abdul Aleem Khan highlighted the National Highway Authority’s (NHA) improved financial performance, noting a substantial increase of Rs 50 billion in revenue over the past year, attributing the growth to enhance efficiency and transparency within the NHA.
Both ministers agreed that the timely completion of highways and motorways was not only critical to public convenience but also vital to national economic growth.