KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has raised concerns regarding the federal government’s approach to funding the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway, as well as the wider distribution of development resources across the country.
In a letter to the central government, Shah protested the allocation of infrastructure projects under the National Highway Authority (NHA), which he believes unfairly favors other provinces over Sindh.
The 306-kilometer Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), launched by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in December 2022, is seen as a vital project for improving connectivity between the southern and northern regions of Pakistan.
While the project is an essential part of the Peshawar-Karachi Motorway network, the Sindh CM has criticized the funding disparities that he claims undermine the province’s development prospects.
In his letter, Shah pointed out that out of the 105 projects approved by the NHA, only six have been allocated to Sindh. In stark contrast, Punjab has been allocated 33 projects, receiving 38% of the total NHA budget.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have also received a more substantial share, with 17% and 23% of the budget, respectively. Sindh, however, has been allocated only 4% of the NHA budget, a figure that Shah considers disproportionate given the province’s infrastructure needs.
Shah further explained that the financial allocations for these projects reflect an uneven distribution. While Rs 708 billion worth of projects have been proposed for Punjab, the province has been allocated Rs 62 billion in the federal budget.
Meanwhile, Sindh’s projects, totaling Rs 78 billion, have only received Rs 7 billion in federal funding. The CM expressed his dissatisfaction with this funding gap, calling on the federal government to revise the allocations and ensure that all provinces receive fair treatment.
The Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway project, which is intended to complete the final stretch of the Peshawar-Karachi Motorway, has been a particular point of contention. Shah has repeatedly called for the motorway’s construction to be funded by the federal government, either through the national budget or by utilizing funds allocated for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
The CM emphasized that the motorway is crucial not just for Sindh but for the entire country, as it will help streamline commercial traffic between the southern ports and the industrial zones to the north.
“This motorway will benefit not just Sindh but the entire country, especially in terms of facilitating trade and transport,” Shah said, adding that it would play a pivotal role in improving logistics for industries, particularly those based around Karachi’s seaport.
Shah also highlighted the financial constraints of the Sindh provincial government, which, despite its efforts, faces significant challenges in independently funding large-scale infrastructure projects.
He pointed to several projects that Sindh had already contributed to, including funding the Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway and providing 50% of the financing for the Jamshoro-Sehwan Road.
The Chief Minister also noted that industrialists from Lahore had expressed their support for the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway during his recent visit, recognizing the motorway’s potential to enhance the country’s trade and industrial activities.
Shah had previously agreed to a proposal from the federal government in October to adjust the starting point of the motorway project. Originally intended to start from Hyderabad and extend to Sukkur, the new plan suggested beginning the motorway in Karachi, passing through Hyderabad and continuing north.
This revision, according to Shah, would better cater to the needs of both port traffic and regional connectivity.
The Sindh CM’s protest serves as a call for more equitable resource distribution and a reminder of the importance of the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway for national development.
