Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is slated to lay the foundation stone for the Karachi-Quetta-Chaman expressway on August 14. This major infrastructure initiative, financed through an Rs8 per liter petroleum levy, aims to upgrade the 815-km stretch of the former RCD Highway, fostering improved regional connectivity and economic development for Balochistan.
A budget allocation of Rs100 billion has been made for the current fiscal year to support the Karachi-Quetta-Chaman Expressway project, which is expected to significantly boost trade and transit in the region.
A recent meeting chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal reviewed progress on the N-25 expressway and outlined pivotal updates. Among these was the dualization of the Hub bypass, which has been added to the project’s revised PC-1 plan. The revised plan submitted on July 2. Additional updates include 68% completion of the 51-km Jiwa to Surab stretch, with further bids invited for the remaining sections.
Ahsan Iqbal directed that the inauguration take place on August 14, 2025. Additional measures have also been discussed to optimize the expressway’s functionality, such as building well-equipped service areas for truckers, featuring rest stops, fuel stations, restaurants, and vehicle repair workshops—with input from trucking firms to ensure their locations meet industry needs.
He also emphasized the importance of robust protection for construction workers, highlighting the critical need for enhanced security, especially in areas under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Plans for deploying a dedicated security force for the N-25 are aligned with the project’s timeline.
Lastly, the expressway is being designed with scalability in mind, allowing for future expansion to accommodate increasing traffic demands.
