Hyderabad to Sukkur: M-6 Motorway project resumes with global funding

There is good news for travellers between Islamabad and Karachi, as the National Highway Authority (NHA) has announced the commencement of work on the long-awaited M-6 Motorway.

According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the 306-kilometre Hyderabad–Sukkur section marks the final missing link of the Karachi–Peshawar Motorway (PKM).

The channel reported that international financial institutions have finalised funding for the M-6 motorway project, which carries an estimated total cost of around Rs 307 billion.

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has already provided more than half of the project’s financing, while the OPEC Fund has now approved an additional 245 million US dollars.

The Saudi Fund for Development is also contributing to the project’s financing. The project is expected to be completed within three to four years.

The NHA confirmed that construction work has already begun on Section III, from Naushahro Feroze to Nawabshah.

Under the project, a six-lane fenced motorway will be built, featuring modern bridges, interchanges, and a smart traffic management system.

Once finished, the M-6 will complete the entire Karachi–Peshawar Motorway network, significantly improving connectivity and ushering in a new era of urban and economic development across districts such as Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Jacobabad.

At its southern terminus, the M-6 will connect with the M-9 Motorway at Jamshoro, providing direct access to Karachi.

From there, the route will run northeast, linking with the N-55 Indus Highway and the N-5 National Highway near Hyderabad.

It will pass through Matiari, Tando Adam, Shahdadpur, and Nawabshah in central Sindh, continue north to Khairpur, and reach Rohri across the Indus River from Sukkur.

From Rohri, the controlled-access motorway will connect onwards to Multan and Islamabad.

According to the NHA, all contracts for the project will be awarded through international competitive bidding (ICB).

The plan also includes provisions for design review, supervision consultants, a project management unit, and financial auditing.

It is pertinent to mention that all other segments of the 1,650-kilometre Karachi–Peshawar Motorway have already been completed, except the Hyderabad–Sukkur section.

The M-6 project forms a crucial part of the Eastern Alignment of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Reporter: Tayyab Saif