Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan says the National Highway Authority (NHA) has increased its annual revenue from Rs.66 billion to Rs.164 billion since he took charge of the ministry.
Addressing members of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), Aleem Khan said the additional revenue was being used to finance development projects across the country.
He said progress required practical action and hard work rather than statements and speeches, adding that resolving the concerns of the business community remained one of his priorities.
During his visit to the chamber, the minister outlined several ongoing and planned road infrastructure projects, including developments on the M-4 Motorway and major motorway links connecting key commercial centers.
He said three contractors were working on the Faisalabad-Pindi Bhattian section of the M-4, with the project being funded entirely through the NHA’s own resources. Another rest area would also be built along the motorway.
Aleem Khan said the Multan-Lodhran Expressway was expected to be completed by December 2026, while the NHA had contributed Rs.15 billion to the Sambrial-Kharian Motorway project.
He also announced plans for a six-lane motorway network linking Lahore, Sialkot, Kharian and Rawalpindi.
The minister said the NHA was spending Rs.112 billion on road infrastructure projects in Balochistan alone. He added that completing 66 projects under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) would require Rs.3,000 billion.
Given the limited availability of government funds, he said, the authority would need to strengthen its own financial resources to sustain development work.
“Government handouts alone will not suffice; we must move forward through our own efforts and strengthen our resources,” he said.
Aleem Khan also highlighted the construction of the Peshawar Bypass, a Rs.5 billion project intended to ease congestion and provide an alternative route for traffic passing through the city.
He said the government would strictly enforce the axle-load policy to protect national highways, warning that roads designed to carry a maximum of 30 tonnes could not be allowed to bear vehicles weighing 100 tonnes.
The minister said the NHA would prioritize tourist highways in Gilgit-Baltistan and highlighted several projects aimed at improving regional connectivity and promoting tourism.
These included the extension of the Murree Expressway towards Muzaffarabad and Mansehra, the proposed Nankana Expressway and the Mansehra-Naran-Kaghan-Jalkhand-Chilas road project.
He said the Nankana Expressway would benefit the Sikh community and encourage religious and international tourism, while the road towards Chilas would improve connectivity to the Chinese border and support regional trade.
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan described the proposed motorway connecting Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur as particularly important for businesses across Pakistan.
He said an eight-lane motorway would originate from Karachi Port, allowing heavy vehicles to bypass congested urban areas.
Work on the Hyderabad-Sukkur section was expected to begin the following month, with completion targeted within two years, he added.
The minister said improved highways would reduce transportation costs and travel times, encourage investment and provide better access to Central Asian markets.
He said the NHA had the potential to become a financially self-sustaining organization with an annual capacity of Rs.500 billion, enabling it to undertake development projects worth Rs.2,000 billion.
A proposal to plant fruit-bearing trees along motorways and lease designated land for the purpose was also under consideration. The initiative, he said, could generate additional revenue while improving the environment.
The minister also expressed concern over the financial condition of Pakistan Post, saying the organization had around 22,000 employees and an annual deficit of Rs.14 billion.
He said a further 4,000 employees had recently been added to its workforce, increasing the financial pressure on the institution.
Efforts were underway to digitize Pakistan Post, reduce losses and introduce a new business plan to make the organization financially sustainable.
Aleem Khan reiterated that the government was committed to addressing the concerns of the business community and improving infrastructure to support industrial and commercial activity.
