The Pakistani government will spend 500 billion rupees (about 8.3 billion U.S. dollars) on rehabilitation and upgrading of highways and motorways by 2015, said a senior official on Thursday.

Minister for Communications Muhammad Shamim Siddiqui said during the present fiscal year, his ministry received 24 billion rupees (about 400 million dollars) for upgrading roads while during the coming fiscal year the amount is likely to reach 35 billion rupees (about 583 million dollars), state-run news agency APP reported.

He said that the development and upgrading of the road network was part of the government's plan on establishing the national trade corridor to boost economic activities in the country.

He said that 1,800 kms National Highway (N-5) from Karachi to Peshawar was being rehabilitated and upgraded.

And 1,400 kms Indus Highway (N-55) on the left bank of the Indus river was also being constructed according to the specifications of the Asian Highways recommended by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

He said that the ministry has also planned to link Karachi with Peshawar through network of motorways to provide third North-South link.

Shamim said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed with a Malaysian company for the construction of the motorway from Faisalabad to Khanewal (M-4) and Khanewal-Rajanpur section of Motorway (M-5) was also likely to be handed over to a Malaysian firm.

The Minister said with the completion of the road network, there would be two alternate routes available and traveling time between Karachi and Peshawar would be reduced by 50 percent.

He said that the National Highway Authority (NHA) would be restructured to meet future needs of the country.

Source: Xinhua