Sialkot (Staff Report/Agencies): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday performed the groundbreaking of Sialkot-Kharian motorway project.
The sixty nine kilometers long motorway project will be completed in two years’ time under public private partnership.
The construction of this project will not only facilitate passengers but also help in transportation of goods produced in the industries of Sialkot both within the country and to the ports for exports.
The project is the middle part of the Lahore-Rawalpindi Motorway. The Lahore to Sialkot part has already been completed and in operation, whereas the third part from Kharian to Rawalpindi is yet to be completed.
Speaking on the occasion, the premier said this is an important and viable motorway project as it will promote connectivity of the industrial area with the rest of the country.
PM Khan said it is important to incentivize the industrial sector for wealth creation which will help retiring the country's debt. He said the government is focusing on ease of doing business and hurdles in the way of Small and Medium enterprises are being removed.
The PM was appreciative of the idea of involving the private sector in the motorway project saying this will help the government divert resources to other areas. He was confident that more private capital will flow into the road infrastructure projects in future.
Imran Khan said that the Swat motorway has opened the whole area for tourism. He said Pakistan has immense potential for tourism but it was not developed in the past. He said projects such as second phase of Swat motorway and Dir Motorway will help encourage both domestic and foreign tourism at the picturesque places.