Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Communications, Abdul Aleem Khan, has presented the M-6 Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway as a high-yield investment opportunity for global stakeholders, offering a nearly 30 per cent guaranteed equity to attract international financing for the critical infrastructure project.
Speaking at the 88th Session of the UNECE Inland Transport Committee in Geneva, the minister described the motorway as a pivotal component in Pakistan”s strategy to become a vital economic bridge between South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Eurasia, said a statement issued today.
Mr Khan declared that Pakistan”s integration into corridors involving Belarus, Russia, and Central Asia marks a new chapter in regional connectivity. He stated that the nation is leveraging the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to provide efficient trade routes for Russia and landlocked Central Asian nations.
The country is actively facilitating regional transit through six established land corridors, including routes via Trkiye, Azerbaijan, and Iran, as well as specialised China-Kazakhstan links. Additionally, Pakistan is using multiple Trans-Afghan corridors and the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement (QTTA) route to connect with the region.
To demonstrate the country”s logistical viability, Mr Khan cited a successful trial in June 2024, when the first Kazakh cargo shipment transited through Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates. He also pointed to the completion of over 1,800 TIR operations as proof of Pakistan”s operational readiness for increased trade flows.
In a move to further solidify these trade links, Pakistan has allocated a dedicated 100-acre terminal at Gwadar Port specifically for Central Asian states, while ensuring Karachi Port continues to serve as a robust maritime gateway for its landlocked neighbours.
The minister also highlighted a digital and diplomatic push to streamline commerce, including a comprehensive programme for traffic data digitalisation and transparency. Initiatives such as a “Visa-on-Arrival” facility for 126 countries and collaborative efforts by the National Logistics Cell (NLC) with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are designed to establish Pakistan as a proactive hub for global economic activity, not merely a transit territory.