NHA and ADB Sign Landmark Agreement for M6 Motorway Construction to Boost Pakistan’s North-South Corridor

The National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a landmark agreement for the construction of two sections of the M6 Motorway, marking a key step in Pakistan’s long-delayed north-south transport corridor project.

The agreement was formalized on Tuesday in Islamabad, with the NHA and ADB committing to develop two critical sections of the motorway stretching from Hyderabad to Nawabshah under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan announced in February that construction on the M6 Motorway would officially begin in May 2026 and would be carried out under a PPP framework to ensure transparency and attract private sector investment.

In a post on X following the agreement’s signing, Minister Aleem Khan welcomed the development as “promising” and congratulated the nation, stating, “A project that could not be initiated in 30 years is, by the grace of Allah, now set to begin within just two years.”

The minister emphasized that the M6 Motorway represents the “missing link” in the Karachi-Sukkur corridor and is vital for Pakistan’s economic progress, enabling seamless traffic flow from Karachi Port to Peshawar and Gilgit via a continuous motorway system.

According to the minister, the M6 Motorway will span 306 kilometres, feature six lanes, and include 15 interchanges and 10 service areas equipped with modern tolling and safety systems.

A separate press release issued by the government confirmed that the project structure covers the two key sections from Hyderabad to Nawabshah, to be developed under the PPP model aimed at ensuring transparency and drawing private sector participation.

The press release also noted that while the Islamic Development Bank and the OPEC Fund have already approved financing for three other sections of the M6 Motorway, the entire project is slated for completion within the next two years.

The M6 Motorway is described as the only missing segment in the north-south route connecting Karachi to Peshawar, and its completion is expected to revolutionize Pakistan’s transport network by linking major ports and industrial centres across the country.