KARACHI: The Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway project has sparked tensions between the Sindh and federal governments, with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressing concerns over perceived inequities in resource allocation.
In a letter to the federal government, CM Murad highlighted that Sindh was allocated only six out of 105 projects approved under the National Highway Authority (NHA) plan. He noted a stark disparity in the budget distribution, with Punjab receiving 33 projects and 38% of the NHA budget. In comparison, Sindh was allotted a mere 4%.
The letter further revealed that while Rs708 billion worth of projects were proposed for Punjab with Rs62 billion allocated for their execution, Sindh’s proposed projects totaled Rs78 billion, yet only Rs7 billion was allocated. CM Murad called for a more equitable distribution of resources, accusing the federal government of sidelining Sindh’s developmental priorities.
The 306 km Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6) is the final segment of the Peshawar-Karachi Motorway. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif laid its foundation stone on December 13, 2022, at Sukkur. The project, valued at approximately Rs191 billion, was approved in September 2021 for construction under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Sindh’s chief minister demanded justice and urged the federal government to address the province’s development needs fairly.
