Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised that the newly inaugurated Sukkur-Hyderabad (M-6) motorway project would be completed within the next 30 months.
He was speaking at a ceremony following the laying of the foundation stone for the 306-kilometre-long M-6 motorway project.
The Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway is the final segment of the Peshawar-Karachi motorway, which will connect all major and important cities in Pakistan. Under a public-private partnership, the project is expected to be completed in 30 months. The six-lane highway will have 15 interchanges, as well as a large bridge across the Sindh River, 82 canal bridges, 19 underpass bridges, six flyovers, and ten service areas.
The M-6 will run through Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Matiari, Benazirabad, Naushahro Feroze, Khairpur, and Sukkur districts. Service and rest stops will be located every 50 kilometres on both sides of the highway.
During his speech, the premier stated that the development of road infrastructure connecting all provinces of the country, especially disadvantaged areas, was critical for the “strengthening of the national economy.”
Connecting deprived areas, including Balochistan and Sindh, he claims, will pave the way for economic and social development as well as new business opportunities.
Moreover, the PM expressed satisfaction that the coalition government had restored construction work on the M-6 motorway, which had faced “a prolonged delay” due to the previous government’s inefficiency.? He emphasised the importance of ensuring that the M-6 motorway meets the same high standards as the rest of the country’s highway network. He directed the relevant authorities to complete the public-private partnership project within the time frame specified.
The prime minister urged Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal to promote additional public-private partnerships to achieve development and prosperity goals.? He also advocated for better road connectivity from Balochistan to the rest of the country in order to connect the important Gwadar port and integrate the province into the national economy.