At a ceremony in Islamabad, Prime Minister Imran Khan officially opened the 293 kilometres long Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway.
PM Imran Khan remarked during the inauguration event that the 293-kilometer Hakla-D.I. Khan Motorway, which is a vital element of the western route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), “would benefit the less underdeveloped areas of the country.”
He said that previously, the country’s progress was limited to GT Road in Lahore and beyond to Karachi, commonly known as the CPEC’s eastern route.
“However, progress is made when a country’s development is consistent throughout its length and breadth. It’s feasible because of long-term strategy, such as China’s, which has prepared for the next 30 years,” he noted.
Read more: Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway to be constructed on BOT basis at a cost of Rs 191 billion
PM Imran Khan stated that future planning will include a progress plan that includes all parts of the country.
“If only a few places are developed, the people who live there will become wealthy, leaving the rest of the population in despair. This is the developing world’s most serious concern “he stated
On the 293-kilometer-long Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, the project contains 11 interchanges, 36 bridges, 33 flyovers, and 119 underpasses.
D.I. Khan will become a business centre for northern Punjab, south Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan once this highway is completed. Furthermore, the highway would make it easier to transport agricultural products to big markets.
He claimed that poor infrastructure had caused residents of D.I. Khan and Minawali to relocate to established cities, resulting in brain drain and talent flight.
He raised the possibility that the highway would improve the living standards of these communities and cut the travel time between Islamabad and D.I. Khan from seven to three hours.
Imran stressed that development should “always be inclusive” without focusing on a particular segment of the society.
