{"id":110358,"date":"2026-07-02T15:13:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T15:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/govt-decides-to-extend-murree-expressway-by-70km-to-muzaffarabad\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T15:13:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T15:13:59","slug":"govt-decides-to-extend-murree-expressway-by-70km-to-muzaffarabad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/govt-decides-to-extend-murree-expressway-by-70km-to-muzaffarabad\/","title":{"rendered":"Govt decides to extend Murree Expressway by 70km to Muzaffarabad"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday decided to extend the Murree Expressway by 70 kilometres to Muzaffarabad during a National Highway Authority (NHA) meeting chaired by Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan.<\/p>\n

Work on the road has been ongoing<\/a> under Khan\u2019s tenure, including when he visited the expressway last November to review beautification, rehabilitation and improvement works along the route.<\/p>\n

According to the communications ministry, Khan presided over the meeting to review the authority\u2019s financial close and map out strategic infrastructure priorities for the current fiscal year.<\/p>\n

In a decision aimed at boosting regional connectivity, the minister announced a 70km extension of the Murree Expressway (N-75) to Muzaffarabad.<\/p>\n

The expansion will effectively connect Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to Pakistan\u2019s main motorway and expressway network, providing residents with a modern, high-speed and safer travel facility.<\/p>\n

The minister said the extension marked the beginning of a modern era of safe transit for the people of AJK, adding that they deserved the same \u201chigh-calibre\u201d motorway facilities available across the rest of the country.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/p>\n

\n <\/a>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

To ensure maximum efficiency across the board, he issued directives to the NHA leadership to prioritise the completion of ongoing infrastructure projects over launching new ones.<\/p>\n

He said that during the current fiscal year, the NHA must focus its resources on completing 25 priority projects before shifting attention to new initiatives.<\/p>\n

Among these, Khan emphasised the completion of the M-8 Motorway, directing that the Hoshab\u2013Awaran Road and the Awaran\u2013Nal project be fast-tracked.<\/p>\n

He said these southwestern corridors were important for expanding trade with neighbouring Iran as well as for unlocking the tourism potential of the region.<\/p>\n

Reviewing the NHA\u2019s long-term financial health, Khan also outlined a bold vision to transform the authority to ensure self-reliance. He said the NHA will be restructured to generate up to Rs400 billion annually from its own internal revenue streams, rather than relying on federal government funding.<\/p>\n

The meeting concluded after detailed briefings by the Secretary for Communications and the chairman of the NHA on the organisation\u2019s fiscal closeout and strategic operational roadmap.<\/p>\n

The road has witnessed several accidents<\/a>, including one earlier this month in which at least 10 people were killed and 13 others injured when a van caught fire after falling into a nullah while taking a turn, the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) said.<\/p>\n