Dualisation of ‘killer’ N-25 to save lives: Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday said the dualisation of N-25 highway — linking Chaman, Quetta, Kalat, Khuzdar and Karachi — was meant to make it safe and secure for the people, as this killer track had so far claimed over 2,000 lives.

He was addressing an event here after performing the groundbreaking of Jinnah Square Murree Road Underpass project.

“This initiative aims to transform the previously dangerous ‘bloody track’— which has claimed over 2,000 lives — into a safe, international-standard highway, marking a significant milestone in the development of Balochistan and national connectivity,” he said.

He emphasized that the dualisation of N-25 highway was not just a road project but a gift to the people of Balochistan. He said the highway will be at par with the national motorways, ensuring safety, better transportation, and economic uplift for the region.

He recalled that when the foundation was laid in 2022-23, the estimated cost was Rs214 billion, but due to rising expenses, the revised cost had now exceeded Rs300 billion. The project is expected to be completed within two years, he added.

“This road will become a road to development and progress, connecting the underserved regions of Balochistan to the economic hub of Karachi. It reflects our vision of equitable development across all provinces,” the prime minister emphasized. He noted that only few people who were opposing this decision were in fact close-minded and were not sincere to the people of Balochistan. “Equal development of all the provinces is important for the overall development of the country.” As regards the underpass project in Islamabad, the prime minister said due to the teamwork of the city management under the leadership of Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi, the traffic flow had streamlined in the city.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohsin Naqvi announced that the project will be opened for traffic after 35 days instead of scheduled 60 days. He said due to the routine traffic congestion near Faisal Mosque, “we are also planning to start work on this project soon”. He urged the prime minister to allocate at least 500 police force for a separate traffic police cadre in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, chairing a review meeting on polio eradication, Shehbaz said: “It must be ensured that every child under five years of age is administered the polio vaccine during the anti-polio campaign starting from April 21.” He emphasized that alongside the campaign, nationwide routine immunization for protection against other dangerous diseases should also be fully ensured. A total of 415,000 polio workers will participate in this nationwide campaign. Chairing a review meeting on digitization of the national economy, the prime minister assigned the task to the relevant ministries and institutions and directed formation of a working group for monitoring and implementation. He praised the successful implementation of the digital wallet system for distribution of Ramazan Relief Package and directed that the system be emulated in other sectors as well. The meeting was told that the ICT application had been launched in Islamabad, providing access to over 150 government services. Meanwhile, talking to Lord Wajid Khan, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Faith, Communities and Resettlement at the PM House, the premier reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen Pakistan-UK relations in all spheres, particularly in trade, investment, education and people-to-people exchanges. The prime minister appreciated the contribution of British Pakistani diaspora who, he remarked, were proudly playing the role of a bridge between Pakistan and the UK. He also conveyed his best wishes for King Charles III as well as Prime Minister Keir Starmer.