Motorways of Pakistan

Motorways of Pakistan (Urdu: پاکستان کے موٹروے‎) are a network of multiple-lane, high-speed, controlled-access highways in Pakistan, which are owned, maintained, and operated federally by Pakistan's National Highway Authority. As of 18 March 2020, 1973 km of motorways are operational, while an additional 1763 km are under construction or planned. Motorways are a part of Pakistan’s “National Trade Corridor Project” and “China-Pakistan Belt Road Initiative,” starting from Khunjerab Pass near Chinese Border to Gwadar in Balochistan. All motorways in Pakistan are pre-fixed with the letter 'M' (for "Motorway") followed by the unique numerical designation of the specific highway (with a hyphen in the middle), e.g. "M-1".[1][2]

Motorways of Pakistan
Pakistan motorway sign
System information
Maintained by National Highway Authority
Length3,736 km (2,321 mi)
Formed1997
Highway names
System links
Roads in Pakistan

History
M2 motorway in the Salt Range

Pakistan's motorways are an important part of Pakistan's "National Trade Corridor Project",[3] which aims to link Pakistan's three Arabian Sea ports (Karachi Port, Port Bin Qasim and Gwadar Port) to the rest of the country through its national highways and motorways network and further north with Afghanistan, Central Asia and China. The project was planned in 1990. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor project aims to link Gwadar Port and Kashgar (China) using Pakistani motorways, national highways, and expressways.

List of motorways
Name Route Length (km) Lanes Completion Year Status Remarks
M-1 motorway (Pakistan) Peshawar–Islamabad 155 6 2007 Operational Hazara Expressway interchange completed in 2018.
M2 motorway (Pakistan) Islamabad–Lahore 334 6 1997 Operational Repaved in 2016
M-3 motorway (Pakistan) Lahore–Abdul Hakeem 230 6 2019

Operational

 Construction began in December 2015.
M-4 motorway (Pakistan) Pindi Bhattian–Multan 309 4-6 2019

Operational

 Construction began in 2009.
M-5 motorway (Pakistan) Multan–Sukkur 392 6 2019 Operational Construction began in May 2016.
M-6 motorway (Pakistan) Sukkur-Hyderabad 296 6 Planned Due to Govt and NHA neglect:[4] Still in planning phase from last 4 years.
M-7 motorway (Pakistan) Dadu–Hub 270 N/A N/A Planned
M-8 motorway (Pakistan) Ratodero–Gwadar 892 2 2022 Partially Operational
Under Construction		 Operational between Hoshab-Gwadar and Khuzdar-Ratodero.
M-9 motorway (Pakistan) Hyderabad–Karachi 136 6 2018 Operational Just an upgrade of Old Super Highway by FWO. Below standard Quality.
M-10 motorway (Pakistan) Karachi Northern Bypass 57 2 2007 Operational Proposed for expansion into 4 lane.
M-11 motorway (Pakistan) Kharian–Lahore 150 4 2020 Partially Operational Construction began in April 2017. Being expanded to Kharian
M-12 motorway (Pakistan) Rawalpindi – Kharian 150 6 Planned
M-13 motorway (Pakistan) [[]] - [[]] Planned
M-14 motorway (Pakistan) Islamabad–D.I Khan 285 4 2021 Under Construction Construction began in May 2016.

 M-15 motorway (Pakistan) Hasan Abdal–Thakot 180 6-4-2 2020 Operational Construction began in 2016
M-16 motorway (Pakistan) Swabi – Chakdara 160 4 2020 Operational Also called Swat Motorway. Extension planned but currently fully operational in October 2020.
Total Length 3741

Other proposed motorways
Name Route Length (km) Lanes Completion Year Status Remarks
Peshawar-D.I. Khan motorway Peshawar-D.I. Khan 360 6 2024 Under Tender Processing Approved by KPK Cabinet on 21st December[5]
Peshawar-Kabul motorway Peshawar –Kabul 6 Under Feasibility
Shorkot-Layyah motorway Shorkot –Layyah 119 4 2025 Connection with two CPEC routes[6]
Lahore-Kartarpur motorway Lahore - Kartarpur Connection to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur[7]

Map
Map of road systems in Pakistan

Patrolling and enforcement
Motorway police patrolling at M2

Pakistan's Motorways are patrolled by Pakistan's National Highways & Motorway Police (NH&MP), which is responsible for enforcement of traffic and safety laws, security and recovery on the Pakistan Motorway network. The NH&MP use SUVs, cars and heavy motorbikes for patrolling purposes and uses speed cameras for enforcing speed limits.

Emergency runways

The M-1 motorway (Peshawar-Islamabad) and the M-2 motorway (Islamabad-Lahore) each include two emergency runway sections of 9,000 feet (2,700 m) length. The four emergency runway sections become operational by removing removable concrete medians using forklifts. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has used the M-2 motorway as a runway on two occasions: for the first time in 2000 when it landed an F-7P fighter, a Super Mushak trainer and a C-130 and, again, in 2010. On the last occasion, the PAF used a runway section on the M-2 motorway on 2 April 2010 to land, refuel and take-off two jet fighters, a [Mirage III] and an F-7P, during its Highmark 2010 exercise.[8]

See also

References
  1. "South Asia's Most Modern Interchange on Motorway-9 Open to Traffic". A blog about real estate, lifestyle and tourism in Pakistan | Zameen Blog. Retrieved 2020-10-24.
  2. "National Highways Authority – Committed to Excellence". Retrieved 2020-10-24.
  3. http://www.adb.org/Documents/Environment/PAK/40075/40075-PAK-SEIA.pdf%5B%5D
  4. Mati (2017-01-19). "Construction work of Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway to start before June". Dispatch News Desk. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  5. TLTP (2020-12-21). "KP govt approves Peshawar-DI Khan motorway project". Profit by Pakistan Today. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  6. "Roznama Dunya Multan EDITION 11 December 2020 NEWS DETAIL | ID 5433077_36024805 |Daily Dunya ePaper|Roznama Dunya". e.dunya.com.pk. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  7. Bureau, Sikh24 Asia. "New motorway approved to halve down the distance between Lahore and Kartarpur | Sikh24.com". Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  8. http://www.paf.gov.pk/press_release/uploaded/MOTORWAY-RELEASE02-04-10.pdf
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