New motorway

MINISTER for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Tuesday announced construction of a new state-of-the-art Motorway (MNJC) from Mansehra to Chilas through Kaghan, Naran and Jhal Khand, which will offer an excellent and safe alternative route to the Karakoram Highway (KKH). The 172-km motorway will be built in two phases and also features a 13.5 km Babusar Top tunnel, the largest in Pakistan. Motorways, highways and roads play an important role in accelerating the pace of socio-economic development but the proposed motorway will be a landmark project as it has the potential to give a major boost to tourism activities and bilateral trade with China. The Minister has rightly pointed out that the new network will serve as the fastest, shortest, safest and most cost-effective route from the Arabian Sea to Western China, drastically reducing transit times and expenditures while proving to be a real game-changer for the sustainable development of the Gwadar Port. The proposed MNJC motorway would reduce travel distance on the existing Karakoram Highway by up to 120 kilometres and provide a safer and more efficient route for passengers and trade. While urging the Government to launch this project of economic significance at the earliest, it is also proposed that other plans aimed at developing reliable and shortest routes between Azad Kashmir and GB may also be activated for economic and strategic benefits of the country.