- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Dec 01 (APP):Parliamentary Secretary for Communications Gul Asghar Khan said that the federal government has allocated unprecedented funds for the upkeep and rehabilitation of the national highway network in Balochistan.
He noted that more than Rs120 billion has been spent on road maintenance across the country over the past three years.
Responding to a Calling Attention Notice moved by MNA Aliya Kamran, the National Assembly was informed that Balochistan—home to 40 percent of Pakistan’s National Highway Authority (NHA) network, spanning 3,785 kilometers—requires extensive upkeep due to its challenging terrain, logistical hurdles, and traffic conditions. He informed that in the past three years alone, the NHA has spent Rs 11.9 billion on road maintenance across the province.
NHA adheres to an Annual Maintenance Plan approved by the National Highway Council, grounded in engineering surveys and technical assessments. This year, the authority has earmarked Rs 31 billion for national maintenance, while Balochistan has secured an additional Rs 100 billion for the Karachi–Chaman corridor and other strategic routes.
He said the challenge in Balochistan stemmed from extremely low revenue recovery:
“Although 40% of NHA’s network lies in Balochistan, toll recovery from the province is minimal, which strains maintenance financing,” he explained.
Despite this, he said NHA had completed 88 maintenance projects in Balochistan across major corridors, including N-10, N-25, N-65, N-70, and N-89.
Key infrastructure milestones have been reported across Pakistan’s national highway network, reflecting billions of rupees in completed works. On the Makran Coastal Highway (N-10), 19 projects worth Rs 4.2 billion have been finalized.
The vital N-25 route saw 22 projects covering 292 kilometers, with an investment of Rs 7.9 billion. Along the Hoshab–Zhob corridor, three projects amounting to Rs 89 million were completed, while two projects were delivered on the Gwadar–Turbat–Khuzdar sections.
In Balochistan’s Qila Saifullah–Loralai corridor, 10 projects worth Rs 1.4 billion were finished. Meanwhile, multiple works on the N-65 added up to Rs 2.013 billion.
He said 34 more projects were in the NHA’s pipeline, including 9 schemes on N-10, 12 on Karachi–Quetta (N-25), 8 on Hoshab–Panjgur–Sorab routes, and 5 on the Khuzdar–Zhob axis.
Responding to questions about project prioritisation, he said, “We have allocated the highest proportional funding to Balochistan. Our focus is ensuring year-round maintenance, employment generation within the province, and strategic connectivity for national development.”
He added that NHA was ready to brief members on any specific segment if details were provided.
“Please sit with our team; we will share all engineering reports and project data transparently,” he concluded.