Pakistan has approved plans for a new motorway that will serve as an alternative to the Karakoram Highway (KKH), with authorities aiming to improve connectivity between northern Pakistan and China while reducing travel distance for motorists and freight transport.
The decision was approved during a meeting of the National Highway Authority (NHA) chaired by Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan. Officials briefed the meeting on the proposed route, which will span 172 kilometers and pass through Mansehra, Kaghan, Naran, Jhal Khand and Chilas.
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According to the NHA, the motorway is expected to shorten travel on the existing Karakoram Highway by up to 120 kilometers. The project will be executed in two phases, with the first covering the route up to Babusar Top and the second extending onward to Chilas.
One of the project’s key features is a planned 13.5-kilometer tunnel at Babusar, which is expected to become the longest tunnel in Pakistan.
The motorway will initially be developed as a four-lane facility, with provisions for future expansion to six lanes. Plans also include the construction of rest areas at regular intervals and freight terminals at both ends of the route.
During the meeting, officials highlighted the project’s role in strengthening regional trade and transport links. The minister said the motorway would help create a shorter and more efficient corridor connecting Pakistan’s southern ports with western China.
Aleem Khan directed NHA officials to complete the project’s technical planning and other preparatory requirements within the prescribed timeframe.
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