ISLAMABAD:
The National Highway Authority (NHA) informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Communications that land acquisition for the M-6 Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway project was expected to commence within a month.
The M-6 project is scheduled to begin in April 2026, with funding from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). The NHA told the committee that it has requested advance procurement approval from the bank, adding that it would formally write to the Sindh government to initiate land acquisition procedures.
The committee, which met here with Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani in the chair, reviewed a range of crucial infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing national connectivity and road safety. The meeting also reviewed the ministry’s responses to its earlier recommendations.
The committee expressed displeasure over the absence of the communications ministry secretary and issued a stern warning that repeated non-attendance would be brought before the House and Privilege Committee for necessary action.
The participants voiced concerns over the NHA’s third toll rate increase within a short period, saying that the increase appeared to be contradicting the NHA’s policy of rate revisions every three years. The committee instructed the NHA to provide a detailed justification at the next meeting.
The inspector general (IG) of the Motorway Police briefed the committee on the legal framework under which cases were registered against motorists, exceeding the speed limit of 150 kilometres per hour on the motorways.
