Charting the Course of CPEC: Highways and Motorways Near Completion

Milestones Achieved and Future Prospects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

P.c. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Charting the Course of CPEC: Highways and Motorways Near Completion


Significant progress has been made on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with approximately 79% of motorway work and 68% of highway work completed on both the eastern and western routes.

These routes, connecting Khunjerab Pass to Gwadar, converge at Burhan, serving as a crucial intersection. Notably, the common alignment spanning 790 km from Khunjerab to Burhan and 193 km from Hoshab to Gwadar has already been finalized.

P.c. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

The Eastern route, spanning 1,419 km from Islamabad to Karachi, has seen impressive progress, with 79% of the motorway construction complete. The remaining 21%, represented by the Sukkur Hyderabad motorway spanning 306 km, is the final piece in the Eastern route's puzzle. Construction on this segment is set to wrap up within the next 30 months, as the winning company has been granted the green light to commence work.

The Western route covers 1,714 km from Islamabad to D.I Khan, then onwards to Quetta and Gwadar. Aside from the common alignment, 68% of this route has been successfully constructed, with the remaining 32% currently under development.

A vital link in the Western route, the 540 km stretch from D.I Khan to Zoub and Quetta, is expected to reach completion by 2024. Once finished, this section will finalize the Western alignment. Other portions of the Western alignment, such as the 235 km from Quetta to Surab and the 449 km from Surab to Hoshab, are already operational.

CPEC, aimed at facilitating cargo transport, offers three distinct routes. The Eastern alignment traverses the densely populated provinces of Sindh and Punjab, home to numerous industries. In contrast, the Western alignment navigates through the less developed and sparsely populated regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan. A future Central alignment will span Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan.

Sources indicate that the Eastern and Western alignments are on track for completion by 2025, while the Central alignment is projected to be finalized by 2030. This remarkable infrastructure project is set to reshape connectivity and trade dynamics in the region.