The National Highway Authority (NHA) has decided to immediately commence expansion of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway, upgrading the existing two-lane facility to a three-lane dual carriageway on each side.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan. The meeting focused on accelerating several key motorway projects to meet Pakistan’s growing infrastructure needs.
During the session, the NHA formally approved the expansion of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway from two to three lanes. The minister also directed speedy construction of the Sialkot-Kharian and Islamabad Motorway, both of which will be developed as three-lane dual carriageways.
Abdul Aleem Khan announced a new policy benchmark, declaring that no future motorway project in the country will be built with fewer than three lanes on each side — making six-lane configuration the new minimum standard. He stressed that infrastructure planning must anticipate future traffic demands rather than addressing only present needs.
The minister further instructed the NHA to fast-track the Sialkot-Rawalpindi Motorway in collaboration with the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). Upon completion, this strategic link is expected to reduce the distance between Lahore and Islamabad by approximately 100 kilometres and save commuters at least one hour of travel time, while significantly easing pressure on the existing M-2 motorway.
In a major push to promote religious tourism, the meeting reviewed plans to directly connect Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib to the national motorway network. These new highways will also follow the three-lane standard with high-quality safety fencing.
