• PM wants N-25 to be turned into ‘motorway-standard’ highway
• CM Bugti attends federal cabinet meeting on special dispensation
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday announced that instead of passing on the relief of reduced oil prices in international market to consumers, the government would use the saved money for reconstruction of the N-25 Highway and completion of Phase-II of the Kachhi Canal project in Balochistan.
The prime minister made the announcement while presiding over the federal cabinet meeting here, where he declared the transformation of the N-25, known infamously as the “deadly road”, into a Motorway-standard highway.
He said the decision reflected the national commitment to Balochistan’s development and an end to years of neglect.
“From a political and social perspective, it’s time we addressed the disparity. While Motorways run through several parts of the country, Balochistan has waited for too long. We will now change the fate of the N-25, from being a highway of tragedy to a highway of prosperity,” said the prime minister.
He underlined that the N-25, connecting Karachi to Chaman via Quetta, Kalat, and Khuzdar, has claimed more than 2,000 lives in recent years due to its poor condition and single-lane structure.
PM Shehbaz announced that the Rs300 billion reconstruction project would now move forward under the federal government’s supervision, with a third-party validation to ensure high standards of construction.
“We will build this as a top-class road, and I, along with Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, will personally supervise the progress of the project,” the prime minister said.
The construction of highway was first approved in the fiscal year 2022-23, but progress stalled due to funding gaps. The revival of the project is now being supported by reallocation of resources made possible by falling global petroleum prices. Rather than passing on the full relief to consumers, the government opted to invest in strategic infrastructure, the prime minister said.
He also told the cabinet members that Phase-II of the Kachhi Canal — a Rs70 billion irrigation project — would also be completed using the same pool of funds.
“If completed, this project will irrigate vast area of Balochistan’s arid land. It can transform agriculture, improve livelihoods, and address food security. The only condition is hard work,” he said.
PM Shehbaz emphasised the judicious allocation of resources keeping in view the needs of all federating units.
