NHA, ADB sign agreement for two sections of M6 Motorway

ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority and the Asian Development Bank signed an agreement on Tuesday for the construction of two sections of the M6 Motorway, marking a key step in the long-delayed project.

The development was announced as the government moves ahead with work on the motorway, which is the only missing stretch in the north-south route connecting Karachi and Peshawar.

In February, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan had said construction on the M6 Motorway project would formally start in May this year and would be carried out under a Public-Private Partnership model.

In a post on X on Tuesday, the minister described the agreement between the ADB and the NHA as a promising development and congratulated the nation. He said, “A project that could not be initiated in 30 years is, by the grace of Allah, now set to begin within just two years.”

Aleem Khan said the motorway was a missing link in the Karachi-Sukkur corridor and called it vital for the country’s economic progress. He added, “Its construction will enable traffic from Karachi Port to travel seamlessly via the motorway all the way to Peshawar and Gilgit.”

Project details

According to the minister, the M6 Motorway will be 306 kilometres long and six lanes wide. He said the project will also include 15 interchanges and 10 service areas.

A separate press release said the project structure covers two important sections from Hyderabad to Nawabshah. These sections will be developed under a public-private partnership framework aimed at ensuring transparency and drawing private sector investment.

The same statement said the Islamic Development Bank and the OPEC Fund had already approved financing for three other sections of the motorway.

The communications minister had reaffirmed that the full M6 project is expected to be completed within the next two years.

Strategic importance

The M6 Motorway has long been described as a critical segment in Pakistan’s motorway network because it would complete the route linking Karachi to Peshawar. The minister said the road would improve connectivity from Karachi Port to the northern parts of the country through the motorway system.

The agreement signed on Tuesday is being seen by the government as a major milestone toward starting physical work on the project after years of delay.

“A project that could not be initiated in 30 years is, by the grace of Allah, now set to begin within just two years,” Aleem said.

“Its construction will enable traffic from Karachi Port to travel seamlessly via the motorway all the way to Peshawar and Gilgit,” the minister said.