Major N-25 Highway Upgrade to Enhance China and Afghanistan Connectivity
Pakistan has awarded highway development contracts worth over Rs 282 billion to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for the upgradation and dualisation of the 790-kilometre-long National Highway 25 (N-25). This strategic route plays a vital role in facilitating trade with western China and Afghanistan through its connections from Karachi to the Chaman border.
According to official reports, the project includes major upgrades to the 278-km Karachi–Khuzdar section and the 187-km Kararo–Chaman stretch, both expected to be completed within two years. Although the N-25 upgrade is not formally part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it serves as a crucial complement to CPEC’s western route and supports future trans-Afghan trade opportunities.
The N-25 holds significant strategic value, linking Pakistan’s deep-sea ports in Karachi and Gwadar to northern trade routes. Khuzdar acts as a vital intersection where the N-25 connects with the M-8 motorway extending toward Gwadar Port — the focal point of Pakistan’s multi-billion-dollar CPEC framework.
Once completed, the project will establish an integrated transport network across Balochistan, enhancing connectivity between Karachi, Gwadar, and border regions. This development also aligns with Pakistan’s new five-year “Action Plan,” initiated following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Beijing. The plan envisions transforming Gwadar Port into a regional trade and connectivity hub, reinforcing Pakistan’s growing economic links with Afghanistan and Central Asia under the evolving CPEC framework.