ZIEC Set to Develop Segment of CPEC's Core Route in Balochistan

China's Zhongding Int’l Engineering Co. and Pakistan’s Progressive Technical Associate have clinched a significant contract, marking their victory in constructing the 55-kilometre Awaran-Jhal Jhao road in South Balochistan. This triumph was achieved by presenting the most cost-effective proposal.

In accordance with Gwadar Pro, the National Highway Authority initially estimated the project at Rs6.06 billion. However, the joint venture of ZIEC-PTA astounded everyone by offering to complete the road for only Rs5.15 billion.

NHA unveiled the signing of the contract with this dynamic joint venture on a recent Friday.

This project forms an integral part of the government's comprehensive strategy to refurbish and widen the Hoshab-Bela road. This road used to connect Gwadar and Karachi in the past, but was abandoned after the creation of the Makran Coastal Highway in 2004.

For nearly two decades, this road languished in a state of disrepair until the government decided to overhaul it, aligning it with the central route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This alignment seeks to unite Gwadar port with Karachi port and Sindh.

Upon completion, this crucial link is poised to reinvigorate economic activities in the underdeveloped Awaran district of Balochistan. Not only will it restore Awaran's significance as a pivotal link between Sindh and Balochistan, but it will also facilitate the transportation of local agricultural produce to Karachi, promising better returns for the residents.

Awaran, a district of Kalat division, shares its boundaries with Makran division, where Gwadar is situated.

This vital east-west connection intersects with the Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab Motorway (M-8) of CPEC at Hoshab, as well as the Quetta-Karachi N-25 Highway at Bela. Work is already underway on the 146-kilometre Hoshab-Awaran and 80-kilometre Jhal Jhao-Bela sections of the Hoshab-Bela link.

Additionally, the ZIEC-PTA joint venture is actively engaged in constructing the Quetta-Khuzdar section of the N-25 Highway as part of the CPEC's western alignment.

The Hoshab-Bela road, in conjunction with the Makran Coastal Highway and the Khuzdar-Basima Road, will serve as a pivotal third east-west link, connecting the western and eastern alignments of CPEC, thereby solidifying the connection between Gwadar and Sindh.

These central corridors were initially introduced as part of the Rs400 billion South Balochistan package, initiated by the federal government to alleviate deprivation and stimulate economic growth in the most underdeveloped areas of the province within the framework of CPEC.