NHA Starts Construction on Rs. 300 Billion Road Project

The National Highway Authority (NHA) has started long-delayed construction work on the N-25, also known as the Pakistan Expressway, in Balochistan. The 800-kilometer route will link Karachi, Quetta, and Chaman, creating one of the province’s most important transport corridors.

NHA officials said the project moves forward after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved its reconstruction earlier this year. The highway has long carried a reputation as a dangerous route, prompting federal commitment to rebuild it with higher safety standards.

Federal Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan reviewed progress during a meeting on Thursday. He said the N-25 would serve as a strategic investment for Balochistan, supporting both economic activity and regional connectivity.

He also examined updates on the M-8, a key route intended to strengthen access to Gwadar Port, and received briefings on security arrangements for ongoing work in the province.

During a separate review of projects in Sindh, the minister instructed the NHA to expedite remaining work on the Lyari Expressway. He directed the authority to prepare the expressway as a model road for Karachi by improving landscaping, cleanliness, and overall design.

He said the federal and Sindh leadership would be invited to inaugurate the upgraded expressway once completed.

The government has already described the N-25 rebuild as essential. Earlier this year, the prime minister called the highway a “killer road” due to frequent accidents and approved a reconstruction plan valued at roughly Rs. 300 billion to Rs. 350 billion.