COAS joined Prime Minister during the inspection of newly opened M-8 route
HOSHAB – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab motorway on Wednesday. The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. The 193km-long highway would connect the western central and eastern routes of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with the Gwadar Port.
The prime minister travelled on the road in a military jeep driven by chief of army staff General Raheel Sharif. Frontier Works Organization (FWO) Director General Maj-Gen Muhammad Afzal also accompanied them as the trio drove on a patch of the new metaled road. The prime minister noted the quality of the road and was appreciated. The FWO constructed the road through a difficult terrain in a record period of 19 months. The motorway has been completed at a cost of Rs. 13 billion.
At the inaugural ceremony, prime minister said the construction of CPEC, motorways and national highways would bring Balochistan on a par with other provinces.
The project would be of great benefit to Pakistan as it would link Gwadar to rest of the country. There was a time when this project only existed on paper. But, with the military’s help, we brought it to fruition,” he said.
The prime minister said the completion of the M-8 reflects his government’s vision of a bright and prosperous Balochistan and a well-connected region and the government was not only focusing on construction of roads alone, but was giving equal attention to other sectors that would usher in an era of prosperity in the country.
The Prime Minister announced three new road projects: Quetta-Khuzdar Highway would be dualised. Work on Baseema-Khuzdar, Shahdadkot and Bela-Awaran highways will start soon.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Asim Bajwa added that the locals were overjoyed with the progress of the CPEC project.
Chief of Army Staff also announced to set up a campus of National University of Science and Technology in Quetta.
Balochistan Governor Mohammad Khan Achakzai, Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri and former chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch were also present on the occasion.