The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has greenlit the construction of a 241-kilometer stretch of the Karakoram Highway (KKH), a significant component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This decision comes just ahead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to China scheduled for June 4.
The ambitious project, estimated at Rs567.5 billion (approximately $2 billion), will be financed through a Chinese soft loan. It involves extensive upgrades and realignment of the KKH from Thakot to Raikot Bridge, including a 103-kilometer bypass from Thakot to Dasu, adjustments for the Dasu Dam relocation, and new construction after the Basha-Thor Nullah.
In addition to the KKH project, the CDWP has also approved the Rs42 billion Golen Gol Hydropower project located in Chitral. This hydropower initiative is set to receive funding from various international entities, aiming to bolster the region’s energy infrastructure.
Both projects are anticipated to receive final approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) before PM Sharif’s departure to Beijing. These developments signify a strengthening of Pakistan-China economic ties and a boost to infrastructure and energy sectors in Pakistan.
