- Authorities have to start preparing now to build accommodation, beautify Islamabad, Premier Shehbaz stresses without giving date for Summit
- Performs groundbreaking of T-Chowk Flyover, directs new benchmarks for work, quality and adherence to timelines
- Says Railways and Interior ministries working on a rail project which will connect Islamabad and Rawalpindi
- Interior Minister lauds CDA, NESPAK, and others for designing T-Chowk Flyover in a way that no additional land acquisition is required
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced that Pakistan will host the next Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, stating that authorities need to start preparations immediately.
“We need to build accommodation and beautify Islamabad. Tajikistan has already given us saplings as a gift and Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) along with his team has been working day and night to plant them,” Premier Shehbaz Sharif stated.
Without giving a date for the summit, the prime minister declared that the authorities have to start preparing now.
Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of the T-Chowk flyover, PM Shehbaz stated the authorities had to start preparing for the incoming dignitaries.
The prime minister lauded Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Chairman CDA, and their teams for initiating such a vital public interest project.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif unveils the ground breaking plaque of T-Chowk Flyover, Rawalpindi.
(12 September 2025) pic.twitter.com/RFg1MNF1H5
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) September 12, 2025
This development comes less than a fortnight after the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, where Pakistan raised the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty and a joint declaration was issued condemning the attacks on the Jaffar Express, Khuzdar and Pahalgam.
Pakistan last hosted the SCO in 2024 for the Council of Heads of Government Summit, where PM Shehbaz called for investing in the region’s collective capacity for connectivity.
Foundation stone for T-Chowk flyover laid
The ceremony was held to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the T-Chowk flyover, which aims to provide relief to the citizens of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and the surrounding area.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif addresses the ground breaking ceremony of T-Chowk Flyover, Rawalpindi. pic.twitter.com/MheIl6JiVq
— APP (@appcsocialmedia) September 12, 2025
“We have laid the foundation stone of this project, which will be a milestone for traffic,” the PM said. “This one-kilometre flyover will give the residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi relief.”
Lauding the efforts of the interior minister and CDA, who conceived the project, the PM congratulated them on the occasion.
“This will serve the public interest greatly,” he said. “We need to set new benchmarks for work, quality and adherence to timelines. There must be no compromise on quality.”
PM Shehbaz added that the railways and interior ministries are working on a rail project which will connect Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
“I was informed by Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi that there will be another form of transport to serve the public interest in the form of a rail car which connects Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” he stated.
“We already have the metro, and we started a bus service. The CDA introduced EVs,” the PM added. “Once we get the railcar going and set up a track, this project can greatly benefit the citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as commuters from surrounding areas.”
The prime minister urged the relevant authorities to start work on the rail project as soon as possible and said that he would sit down and discuss the project with them.
“Whatever you need from the federal government, will try to accommodate you.”
Islamabad expressway to be inaugurated once T-Chowk Flyover completed: Naqvi
Speaking on the occasion, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the Islamabad Expressway project was already completed, but it was decided that the formal inauguration will be held once the final segment (T-Chowk Flyover) is done.
He commended the Capital Development Authority (CDA), NESPAK, and other relevant stakeholders for designing the T-Chowk Flyover Project in a way that no additional land acquisition is required, saving Rs7 billion in the process.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif receives briefing about the construction of T-Chowk Flyover, Rawalpindi. pic.twitter.com/fGvNXXB7R2
— APP (@appcsocialmedia) September 12, 2025
He assured that as per the prime minister’s direction, the project will be completed well in time without compromising on its quality.
The flyover project to be completed at a cost of Rs1,495 million in a duration of 150 days and is expected to be completed by February 9, 2026.
According to officials, the project is being constructed on existing available land with no need for land acquisition and is financed through self-financing by the CDA.
Earlier, officials briefed the prime minister on the salient features of the project. It was informed that Islamabad Expressway serves as the main artery of the capital, connecting Rawalpindi, Punjab, AJK, and the G.T. Road, while supporting significant urban development. The CDA has already made the expressway signal-free from Zero Point to T-Chowk over a stretch of 26 km.
Currently, the T-Chowk junction at Rawat, the entry point of Islamabad, remains highly congested and in deteriorating condition, with heavy and light traffic volumes reaching nearly 100,000 vehicles daily. The new flyover, once completed, will facilitate approximately 41,572 vehicles per day.
The T-Chowk Flyover Project features a flyover measuring 1.034 kilometers in length and 11.30 meters in width. Ancillary works such as the installation of streetlights and comprehensive horticultural development will also be carried out to enhance the overall functionality and aesthetics of the project.
Special teams have also been assigned to monitor and ensure the quality of the work, as the prime minister reiterated that quality remains a top priority in all national development projects.
