ISLAMABAD: The Sindh government has strongly objected to the federal government’s approval of a new motorway project in Punjab, instead of prioritizing the long-awaited Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway.
Sindh officials have accused the federal government of showing extreme bias in infrastructure development, claiming that their objections were completely ignored during the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting.
Key Developments:
- The ECNEC session, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, approved the Lahore-Sahiwal-Bahawalnagar Motorway, which saw a cost increase of 65%, rising from Rs264 billion to Rs436 billion.
- The Punjab government has been asked to finance at least 50% of the project, but a final decision is pending.
- The session also approved the Lahore Ring Road and Raiwind-Kasur Interchange under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
Sindh’s Response:
- The Sindh government has decided to escalate the issue to President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
- Provincial authorities insist that the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway should have been prioritized, as it is vital for connectivity and economic growth in Sindh.
This controversy adds to growing tensions between Sindh and the federal government over developmental project allocations.
