Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Monday visited the National Highway Authority (NHA) Punjab Region, where he chaired a high-level meeting to review and expedite ongoing and upcoming infrastructure projects across the province.

During the meeting, key decisions were taken regarding the construction of new interchanges, road expansions, and long-term strategic planning for the region’s highway network. The minister emphasized the importance of future-oriented development and directed officials to plan projects keeping in mind the needs of the next 30 years, rather than short-term solutions.

Major expansion of Lahore-Islamabad route

One of the most significant announcements came regarding the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway. Aleem Khan revealed that this route will be extended to connect Kharian and Islamabad, forming a continuous six-lane motorway from Lahore to the federal capital. This new alignment will reduce the travel distance between Lahore and Islamabad by 100 kilometres and cut travel time by approximately one hour.

The upgraded corridor will link key urban centres, including Gujranwala, Gujrat, Kharian, Jhelum, and Gujar Khan, significantly boosting connectivity and easing regional travel.

“We are transforming this corridor into a high-speed, six-lane route to serve as a game-changer for Punjab’s road infrastructure,” the minister stated.

Focus on quality and timely completion

The minister directed NHA officials to accelerate development work in the province without compromising on quality. He specifically instructed that the pending construction between Multan Road and Ring Road in Lahore be completed as soon as possible.

While inspecting the ongoing expansion and construction activities on Multan Road, the minister issued on-the-spot orders to ensure efficiency and public convenience. “Infrastructure should not just be long-lasting — it must also provide maximum ease and safety to the public,” he said.

Beautification of Multan Road

The federal minister also tasked NHA with beautifying the stretch of Multan Road from Hadiyara to Ring Road, signaling a renewed focus on urban aesthetics and environmental uplift.

Collaboration and institutional coordination

The meeting also included a briefing on the National Highway Authority’s collaboration with the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) on projects related to Motorway M2 and other important development initiatives.

Aleem Khan urged senior officials to take a proactive approach, ensure inter-agency coordination, and maintain high construction standards across all projects.