SIFC approves four motorways in Punjab, Sindh

KARACHI: The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has approved four motorways across Punjab and Sindh, as per the minutes released recently of council’s meeting held on March 17.

According to the released documents, the Council has greenlit the construction of M-12 motorway connecting Sialkot and Kharian. Two separate options were considered, one four-lane motorway with an estimated cost of Rs61 billion, and second a six-lane motorway projected at Rs71 billion. However, the SIFC approved the six-lane version of the project.

It is pertinent to mention here that development projects of the Sindh province would be executed through Public-Private Partnership mode, ensuring to minimise the financial burden on the national exchequer.

The Council approved M-6 Hyderabad–Sukkur motorway and M-10 motorway, which will link Karachi Port directly to Hyderabad. Both the M-6 and M-10 motorways will be built through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. This will reduce the financial load on the national exchequer and allow private companies to take part in the projects.

This motorway, expected to cost around Rs339 billion, will pass through key cities and towns including Hyderabad, Tando Adam, Nawabshah, Khairpur, and Sukkur.

The bidding process for the M-6 project is expected to begin within the current month, with the contract anticipated to be awarded by October 2025. Financing discussions have already taken place with international partners including the Islamic Development Bank, the International Financial Institutions (IFIs), and the government of Azerbaijan.

The SIFC has also approved the M-13 motorway, which will connect Kharian to Rawalpindi. For this project, the Council has sanctioned Rs1.29 billion for land acquisition, marking the beginning of this key route’s development.

Further infrastructure developments were also discussed in the meeting. The Council approved the construction of a new LPG and liquid chemical terminal at Port Qasim Authority, aimed at strengthening the port’s capacity and facilitating improved handling of essential industrial imports.

These developments are seen as a major step forward in Pakistan’s infrastructure expansion, particularly in improving connectivity between key urban and industrial centers. The projects are expected to boost economic activity, create jobs, and facilitate more efficient transportation of goods and people across the country.