ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal announced that work will begin during the new fiscal year on the Karachi–Hyderabad M-9 expansion, the Sukkur–Hyderabad–Karachi M-6 Motorway, the Chaman–Quetta–Karachi Highway, and the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project under CPEC, starting from the Rohri section.
Talking to the media on Tuesday during the Ministry’s Monthly Development Update for June 2026, the minister further announced that the government would launch the Karakoram Highway-II project to replace the approximately 100-kilometre stretch of the existing highway that will be affected by the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, ensuring uninterrupted trade connectivity between Pakistan and China.
He said that the estimated cost of this project is Rs200 billion.
He also announced the establishment of a Quantum Valley in Islamabad to promote advanced technologies, innovation, and a knowledge-based economy.
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He said that the estimated cost of the Chaman–Quetta–Karachi Highway project is Rs400 billion and it would be completed in two years. He said that the ground-breaking ceremony of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project under CPEC would be held in January 2027.
He said that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide funds for this project.
Highlighting the resilience of Pakistan’s external sector, the Minister said that workers’ remittances increased by 9.2 percent to USD 38.1 billion during July–May FY2025–26, while May 2026 recorded the highest-ever monthly inflow of USD 4.3 billion.
Services exports grew by 17.4 percent, driven largely by the information technology sector, while the current account remained in surplus due to rising remittances and expanding IT exports, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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