Quetta, The National Highway Authority (NHA) has approved the construction of the Karachi-Quetta-Chaman Highway 25-N, following the orders of the Balochistan High Court’s bilateral bench comprising Mr. Justice Abdullah Baloch and Mr. Justice Rozi Khan Balich. The NHA invited pre-qualification proposals through tenders for the construction of the Karachi-Othal section, Othal-Kararo section, and Wadh-Khuzdar section, with a deadline for submission by 26 May 2024.

According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Balochistan, the development comes after a recent court hearing where officials from the Planning and Development Department, Economics Division, Finance Division, Islamabad, and the NHA appeared before the Balochistan High Court. During the hearing, the officials informed the court that the Government of Pakistan had released 19 billion rupees to the NHA for the construction of the 25-N Karachi-Quetta-Chaman road, but the NHA failed to utilize these funds.

The court expressed displeasure over the NHA’s failure to use the allocated funds, describing it as negligence and incompetence on the part of the department. The court issued strict orders to NHA officials to explain the reasons for not utilizing the released funds and directed them to commence and complete the construction of the Karachi-Quetta-Chaman road 25-N without delay.

The issuance of pre-qualification tenders is considered the first step toward the implementation of the court’s orders. The Balochistan High Court’s directive aims to address the delay in the construction of the highway and to ensure that the project progresses without further hindrances.

The completion of the Karachi-Quetta-Chaman Highway 25-N is expected to significantly improve connectivity and transportation infrastructure in the region, benefiting the local economy and facilitating smoother travel between major cities.