Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Mohammad Yusuf announced on Sunday that the federal government has approved two major motorway projects. These new routes will connect Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), dramatically cutting travel time and opening up new economic corridors. This is specifically done to improve economic development and also enhance regional connectivity.
Speaking to reporters in Garhi Habibullah, the minister said the Mansehra-Chilas Motorway and the Mansehra-Muzaffarabad Motorway have been greenlit, with construction anticipated to commence soon. He emphasized the transformational impact of these projects on remote regions and national unity.
“These motorways will bring distant regions closer and open the door for trade, tourism, and social development,” Yusuf said.
Saudi Arabia has shown interest to fund 76% of the Mansehra-Muzaffarabad Motorway, which spans 26 kilometers and comes with an all-inclusive cost of Rs 56 billion. The project is now considered to be the most integral constituent of the federal Annual Development Programme, underlining its strategic importance.
“This project is a bridge of opportunity for both KP and AJK,” the minister added.
Read more: Four-lane 235-km motorway from Mansehra to Naran and Chilas will be constructed
The federal minister also revealed that the feasibility study for the Mansehra-Chilas Motorway via Kaghan valley had recently been completed. “This is a significant communication project that will cut the distance to Gilgit-Baltistan by half,” he said.
The federal minister said that the government faced the challenge of making that route all-weather, but with the help of tunnels at glacier-prone locations, it will become feasible.
On the other hand, the Mansehra-Chilas Motorway will connect via the scenic Kaghan Valley, and its feasibility study has already been completed.
While the route facing seasonal weather challenges, especially from snowfall and glacial activity, multiple tunnels are being planned to make sure it remains an all-weather road.
Yusuf hinted that this project may be integrated into the broader China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework, potentially increasing trade and strategic connectivity with China.
“With tunnels through glacier-prone areas and year-round accessibility, the region is about to glance a new era of success and prosperity,” he cited.