Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated the first phase of the Malir Expressway, now renamed the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Expressway. The six-lane expressway aims to improve transportation in Karachi by providing a direct route to the National Highway.
The inaugural event marked the opening of a 9.1-kilometer segment stretching from Qayyumabad to Shah Faisal. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah accompanied Bilawal, who personally drove along the newly opened Bhutto Road to inspect the route, according to the Chief Minister’s spokesperson.
During his speech, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah described the expressway as Pakistan’s largest public-private partnership infrastructure project, spanning 39 kilometers and costing approximately Rs 55 billion. The expressway starts at Korangi Creek Avenue and follows the Malir River, offering modern infrastructure and significant transportation benefits for Karachi.
The expressway will eventually connect with the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) via DHA and an existing link road. Scheduled for completion in 2025, it is expected to serve as an alternative to Shahrah-e-Faisal, linking key industrial areas and reducing traffic congestion across the city.
Provincial Minister Sharjeel Memon emphasized the project’s role in enhancing connectivity between Karachi’s central areas and the motorway. He highlighted the economic benefits, including reduced fuel consumption, shorter travel times by up to 50%, and improved access to industrial hubs such as Dhabeji and Steel Mill.
Memon also noted that Bhutto Road has been designed to meet international standards as a high-speed corridor, reflecting the Sindh government’s commitment to economic progress and urban development under Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s leadership.
