Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that a third party audit of all ongoing projects of the National Highway Authority be conducted. He was chairing a meeting on matters related to the National Highway Authority in Islamabad today.

The Prime Minister also directed that a strategy be evolved to construct national highways, motorways and expressways under public-private partnerships.

Shehbaz Sharif said improvement in transportation infrastructure is essential for the development and prosperity of any country. He added that the government is working on a priority basis to connect remote areas with other parts of the country, provide better travelling facilities to the people and create more opportunities for business and employment.

The meeting was informed that NHA's revenue increased from 109 billion rupees to 130 billion rupees during the last fiscal year and is expected to reach Rs160 billion during the current fiscal year.

It was briefed that NHA is financing several projects from its own revenues, including the Sialkot-Kharian Motorway (M-12), Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway (M-13), Peshawar Northern Bypass, rehabilitation of Jaglot-Skardu Road (S-1), upgradation of Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad Motorway (M-4) as well as the Multan-Lodhran (N-5) section and construction of approach roads to the Layyah-Taunsa Bridge.

The meeting was told that work on the Pakistan Expressway (N-25) is progressing rapidly.

It was further informed that sixteen projects are currently at the final stages of completion and will soon be ready for inauguration. These include the upgradation of GT Road (N-5) from T-Chowk Islamabad to Banth, remodelling of GT Road (N-5) Islamabad-Chungi No. 26 Interchange, Margalla Avenue Extension from GT Road (N-5) to Motorway M-1, Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad Motorway (M-4), Quetta Western Bypass and Pindi Gheb-Jand Road.

Other projects include the Bhong Interchange on Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M-5), construction of Nokundi-Mashkhel Road, dualisation of Old Bannu Road, dualisation of the San-Sehwan and Ratodero-Shikarpur sections of Indus Highway (N-55), and construction of an additional carriageway on the Pataro-Sehwan section of N-55.

The meeting was apprised that the foundation stones of several projects will be laid soon. These include the Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway (M-13), Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), rehabilitation of GT Road (N-5) Nowshera-Peshawar section, reconstruction of GT Road (N-5) Rawalpindi-Hassan Abdal section, rehabilitation of National Highway (N-5) Moro-Hala section and reconstruction of National Highway (N-5) Ranipur-Rohri section.

It was informed that the Sialkot-Kharian Motorway (M-12) and Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway (M-13) are being constructed under public-private partnership.

The meeting was further updated that a Guru Nanak Expressway project is under consideration to connect sacred Sikh sites, including Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib.

It was said that a Mansehra-Chilas Expressway via Naran has also been proposed, which will reduce the distance between Mansehra and Chilas by 146 kilometers.