Islamabad: The National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Privatization Commission, along with its Public Private Partnership Authority (P3A), deliberated on executing four major road infrastructure projects under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in a high-level meeting co-chaired by Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Advisor to the Prime Minister on Privatization Muhammad Ali.

According to Press Information Department, the meeting in Islamabad focused on assessing the financial viability and commercial potential of key highway projects, with the M-10 Motorway’s 169-kilometer section highlighted for possible development under the PPP framework. Proposals also included constructing the Mansehra-Naran-Jhal Khand-Chilas Motorway, potentially connecting to the Chinese border. Federal Minister Khan emphasized the importance of the proposed Guru Nanak Expressway for religious tourism, particularly for the Sikh community, and the expansion of the Murree Expressway to Azad Jammu and Kashmir to enhance regional tourism and trade.

The Federal Minister instructed NHA officials to develop a formal business plan for these initiatives, drawing on the model of the Sialkot-Kharian Motorway (M-12) currently under PPP. He expressed a vision of transforming NHA into a financially autonomous entity valued between PKR 500 to 1,000 billion, aiming to reduce dependency on federal funding. Advisor Muhammad Ali pledged support from the Privatization Commission and P3A in evaluating these projects, with a follow-up meeting planned in one week to review progress. The meeting included senior officials from the Federal Communications Ministry, NHA, and Privatization Commission.