Islamabad, October 30, 2026: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to remove bottlenecks hindering ongoing development projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), accelerate work on key national highways and motorways, and ensure the transparent and efficient utilization of public funds.
While reviewing the ongoing projects of NHA under PSDP the Minister Ahsan Iqbal made it clear that unjustified cost escalations, non-transparent financial claims and weak project oversight would not be tolerated.
The minister emphasized that the development budget represents public money and must be utilized with transparency, financial discipline and accountability. He directed the authorities to thoroughly scrutinize cost escalations, variations in construction quantities and rates, and additional claims submitted by contractors to prevent unnecessary financial burdens on the national exchequer.
Stressing the need for effective project monitoring, Professor Ahsan Iqbal said oversight must focus on actual physical progress, expenditure and completion targets rather than paperwork alone. He directed the concerned authorities to prepare a comprehensive report on the current status, financial requirements and implementation bottlenecks of key projects for submission to the Prime Minister to facilitate timely decisions and expedite their completion.
Reviewing the progress of major highway and motorway projects, the minister was informed that the 216-kilometre Shandur–Gilgit Road project, costing Rs49,946.070 million, has achieved 67.33 per cent physical progress, while the 153-kilometre Chitral–Booni Mastuj–Shandur Road project, costing Rs17,783.193 million, has achieved 40 per cent progress. He stressed the need to accelerate work on these strategically important routes to improve connectivity and facilitate economic activity in remote areas.
The dualization and rehabilitation of the Karachi–Quetta–Chaman Road (N-25), covering 273 kilometres at a cost of Rs183,421.427 million, has achieved 19.25 per cent 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 Rs44,703.890 million, has achieved 62 per cent physical progress. Meanwhile, the 121.5-kilometre Rajanpur–Dera Ghazi Khan section of N-55, costing Rs63,150.570 million 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 Rs111,940.070 million, has been awarded, with contractors currently under mobilization. The minister directed the authorities to resolve outstanding issues and accelerate implementation of these projects.
The 306-kilometre Hyderabad–Sukkur Motorway (M-6), with a PC-I cost of Rs363,700 million, and the electrical and mechanical works of the Lowari Tunnel, costing Rs33,250 million, 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 Rs76,486.231 million, which has achieved 10 per cent 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, the minister said timely completion of these projects was essential for economic growth, trade and regional connectivity. He called for practical strategies, clear implementation timelines and effective coordination to ensure that development targets were met.
Reviewing exceptional cost escalations and financial claims submitted by contractors, Ahsan Iqbal directed that all claims undergo thorough technical, contractual and financial scrutiny. He stressed that engineers, project directors and consultants must discharge their responsibilities effectively, while monitoring and accountability mechanisms should be strengthened at every stage of project implementation.
The minister underscored the importance of independent third-party validation to assess project costs, construction quality, quantities and additional financial claims. He said the verification process must be impartial and free from conflicts of interest to ensure an objective assessment of project expenditure and protect public resources.
He further directed the identification of projects that could be completed through limited additional allocations. For projects facing financial or administrative constraints, he called for clear action plans, defined responsibilities and firm timelines. The concerned authorities were also directed to submit actionable proposals within 15 days to address outstanding issues and financial claims relating to the bypass project.
The Minister Ahsan Iqbal said national highway projects were not merely infrastructure schemes but a cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic development, investment climate, industrial growth and regional trade. Their timely completion would reduce transportation costs, improve access to markets and strengthen economic linkages among different regions of the country.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to transparent and accountable development, the minister said effective monitoring, financial discipline and prudent utilization of public resources would remain central to project implementation, ensuring that the benefits of public investment reached citizens in a timely manner.
