Mansehra, Kaghan, Naran: Proposed motorway could be a game changer: minister

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Wednesday has said that proposed motorway for Mansehra, Kaghan, and Naran could be a game changer for the area.

A meeting was held between the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Haji Gulbar Khan, and the Federal Minister for Communications, Abdul Aleem Khan during which various key matters, including the construction of highways and roads were discussed.

Federal Minister for Communications highlighted the need for new five-star hotels on tourist destinations such as Gilgit and Skardu which can support the growing tourism.

Aleem Khan stated that the scenic and tourism-rich northern areas of Pakistan hold immense importance and that it is crucial to provide maximum facilities to the people visiting there. He announced that all highways in Gilgit-Baltistan will be integrated with the Rescue 1122 Emergency Service and if required, helicopter services will also be introduced to further facilitate in emergency response.

He reiterated that the promotion of tourism is a major goal and that rapid development of road infrastructure is essential to transform tourist destinations in Gilgit-Baltistan to match the standards of developed countries.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Gulbar Khan expressed his gratitude for the support extended by Aleem Khan in the past year and acknowledged the various initiatives launched by NHA including induction of Motorway Police.

He assured full cooperation from the provincial government of Gilgit-Baltistan to the National Highways Authority (NHA). It was agreed during the meeting that on the directives of the federal minister, the federal secretary for Communications and the chairman of the NHA will soon undertake a visit to Gilgit-Baltistan. They will hold meetings with the provincial government to resolve outstanding issues and finalise further actions.

The chief minister also identified several roads within the province that require immediate attention. In response, the federal minister instructed the officers of the Ministry of Communications to comprehensively address all matters during their visit by ensuring smooth and effective implementation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025