The National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a landmark agreement for the construction of two sections of the M6 Motorway.
In a post on X, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan welcomed the signing of a strategic agreement between the ADB and NHA for the construction of the M6 Motorway, connecting Karachi to Sukkur.
In February, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan announced that construction of the M6 Motorway would officially begin in May under a Public-Private Partnership model.
The minister termed the project a vital gateway to Pakistan’s future development and a decisive step toward economic prosperity.
“A project that remained stalled for over 30 years, achieving this breakthrough within a mere two years of dedicated effort,” he said.
Aleem Khan emphasised that the M6 Motorway represents the “missing economic link” of the country’s North-South corridor, making its completion an absolute necessity for sustainable national growth.
He noted that this motorway was among the most critical infrastructure assets in Pakistan, designed to serve as a backbone for the country’s future trade and logistics.
The completion of this missing link would revolutionise Pakistan’s transport network by allowing traffic from Karachi Port to travel seamlessly to Peshawar and Gilgit via a continuous motorway system, he added.
While giving details of the project, the federal minister said that 306-kilometer-long, six-lane project would be equipped with modern tolling and safety systems, featuring 15 interchanges and 10 state-of-the-art service areas to facilitate travellers and commercial transporters alike.
He further said that the project structure included two key sections from Hyderabad to Nawabshah, which would be developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model to ensure transparency and attract private sector investment.
“Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the OPEC Fund have already approved financing for three other sections,” he said, adding that the entire M6 project is slated for completion within the next two years.
He concluded by stating that connecting Karachi’s Ports to the northern regions is a national priority that would unlock new investment opportunities and strengthen the regional trade connectivity of Pakistan.
— with additional input from APP
