PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Committee has granted in-principle approval for the construction of the Dir Motorway under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The 29-kilometre motorway will extend from the Chakdara Interchange to Baroon in Lower Dir district, at an estimated cost of Rs. 69 billion.
The approval was accorded during a meeting of the Public-Private Partnership Committee chaired by Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi at the Chief Minister’s House, Peshawar.
The Chief Minister directed the relevant authorities to immediately initiate the process for acquiring the land required for the project.
He further instructed the concerned departments to establish clear implementation timelines to ensure the motorway is completed within the stipulated timeframe, enabling the public to benefit from this vital infrastructure project at the earliest.
He also directed the relevant authorities to propose necessary amendments to the existing Public-Private Partnership framework to facilitate the faster and more efficient execution of development projects and reduce implementation timelines under the PPP model.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the Dir Motorway is a significant gift from Imran Khan’s provincial government to the people of Malakand Division. He said the project would substantially reduce travel time, lower fuel consumption and transportation costs, and generate direct economic benefits for the people.
The Chief Minister further stated that the motorway would play a pivotal role in promoting tourism and strengthening the regional economy. Improved connectivity to remote tourist destinations across Malakand Division would boost tourism, create new employment opportunities, and make a significant contribution to the region’s socio-economic development.
The meeting also reviewed the progress on the Peshawar–Dera Ismail Khan Motorway and Swat Motorway Phase-II projects and discussed measures to ensure their timely implementation.
The meeting was attended by provincial cabinet members Aftab Alam Advocate, Shakeel Khan, Shafi Jan, and Muzammil Aslam; Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah; Additional Chief Secretary, Planning and Development, Islam Zeb; Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Amir Sultan Tareen; administrative secretaries of the relevant departments; and other members of the Public-Private Partnership Committee.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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