Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has directed the National Highway Authority to accelerate work on key national highways and motorways, and ensure the transparent and efficient utilization of public funds.

He was chairing a meeting to review the ongoing projects of NHA under Public Sector Development Programme in Islamabad today.

It was briefed that the 216-kilometre Shandur-Gilgit Road project, costing around fifty billion rupees, has achieved 67.33 percent physical progress, while the 153-kilometre Chitral-Booni Mastuj-Shandur Road project, costing over 17 billion rupees, has achieved 40 percent progress.

The dualization and rehabilitation of the Karachi-Quetta-Chaman Road (N-25), covering 273 kilometres at a cost of over 183 billion rupees, has achieved 19.25 percent physical progress.

The Minister underscored the importance of accelerating this key corridor, including the Karachi-Kararo and Wadh-Khuzdar sections, to strengthen connectivity and trade.

Regarding the Indus Highway, the 221.9-kilometre Shikarpur-Rajanpur Additional Carriageway Project on N-55, costing more than 44 billion rupees, has achieved 62 percent physical progress.

Meanwhile, the 121.5-kilometre Rajanpur-Dera Ghazi Khan section of N-55, costing over 63 billion rupees is awaiting letters of award due to land acquisition and resettlement issues.

The 208.19-kilometre Dera Ghazi Khan-Dera Ismail Khan section of N-55, costing around 111 billion rupees, has been awarded, with contractors currently under mobilization.

The 306-kilometre Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (M-6), with a PC-I cost of 363 billion rupees, and the electrical and mechanical works of the Lowari Tunnel, costing over 33 billion rupees, are currently at the procurement stage.

Ahsan Iqbal directed the concerned authorities to remove procedural bottlenecks and expedite the procurement process to ensure progress on these critical projects.

The minister also reviewed the 210-kilometre dualization and improvement of the existing N-50 from Yarik through Sagu to Zhob, including the Zhob Bypass, costing over 76 billion rupees, which has achieved 10 percent physical progress. He directed the authorities to accelerate implementation and address financial and administrative constraints affecting the project.

Highlighting the importance of the M-6 Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, the N-55 Indus Highway, the N-25 Karachi-Quetta-Chaman corridor and the Quetta-Zhob road network, Ahsan Iqbal said timely completion of these projects is essential for economic growth, trade and regional connectivity.