The total length of Pakistani roads is 2790 kilometers. Pakistan’s National Trade Corridor Project & CPEC China-Pakistan Economic Corridor both rely on these motorways. Various sections of Pakistan are connected to Pakistan’s three major ports, Gawadar, Port Bin Qasim, and Karachi Port, through the country’s Motorway Network.
Pakistan Motorways
As a result of the many new highways that have been built lately, intercity travel in Pakistan is now more convenient than ever, pleasurable, and safe. Cities around the nation may easily be connected by these roadways, which also serve as handy entry points for tourism sites across the country.
“China-Pakistan Belt Road Initiative” and the National Commercial Corridor Project of Pakistan connect Pakistan’s main trade routes from Khunjerab Pass to Gawadar, which is in Balochistan. Here, we’ll learn about Pakistan’s ever-increasing network of highways and how they successfully connect the nation.
Motorways are now being constructed or planned for the future in Pakistan, with a total of 11 currently active. Meanwhile, a separate motorway is partly operating and under construction.
M1 Motorway
In addition to the Peshawar Ring Road, the M1 Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway includes the Peshawar Northern Bypass (PNB), Ghazi, Sawabi, and Charsada. The 14 interchanges include Peshawar Ring Road, Peshawar Northern Bypass, Charsadda, Sawabi (Chachh), and Ghazi.
Three large bridges span the Kabul, Haro, and Indus rivers as part of the M-1 Peshawar-Islamabad highway. The highway also has 27 minor bridges, 571 culverts, 18 flyovers, and 137 underpasses, in addition to these interchanges and crossovers.
M2 Motorway
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan, while Lahore is its provincial capital. The M2 Motorway was the first to be completed in Pakistan, linking the two cities. There are six lanes on the M2 Motorway, which measure 367 kilometers (250 miles). Pakistan’s first Motorway, the M2 Islamabad-Lahore Motorway, was completed in 1997.
It runs 375 kilometers across Punjab’s lush forests. Among the 22 interchanges on this six-lane highway are those at Islamabad’s M2-M1 Junction and its interchanges at Thalian (M2-M1 Junction), Islamabad’s Chakri (M2-M1 Junction), Neelah Dullah (M2 Junction), Balkasar (M2 Junction), Kallar Kahar (M2 Junction), Lilla (M2 Junction).
Each side of the M-2 Lahore-Islamabad Motorway has five fuel stations and service areas. Service stations in this area include the Chakri services area, sukheki service area, bhera services, and sial service area.
Every refueling and service station is 60-80 km apart. M2 Lahore–Islamabad Motorway pit stations have some of Pakistan’s best-known restaurants.
M3 Motorway
The M3 Motorway, which connects the towns of Abdul Hakeem and Lahore and has a total distance of 230 kilometers, opened for traffic in March 2019. This begins at the M2 Motorway of Lahore and continues to the interchange of the Pindi Bhattian-Multan Motorway M4 in Abdul Hakeem.
Both of these locations are in Pakistan. In addition, it is a 6-lane highway with 3 rest areas and 4 interchanges at various points along the road. These interchanges are the Bahawalpur Road Interchange, Shah Shams Tabrez Interchange, Sher Shah Interchange, and Vehari Road Interchange.
2019 saw the end of construction of the M3 Motorway. From Lahore to Abdul Hakeem, a distance of 230 kilometers, there is a motorway with six lanes the whole way.
M4 Motorway
The Pindi Bhattian-Multan Motorway M4 is a section of highway that traverses 309 kilometers and has four lanes on either side of the route to facilitate traffic flow. It connects several cities in the province of Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Shorkot, and Khanewal.
Along its length, the M-4 expressway has more than a dozen interchanges, connecting some of Pakistan’s major road linkages, such as the M-5, M-2, and M-3 motorways. These interchanges are similar to those found on other prominent motorway routes in Pakistan.
2009 saw the beginning of development on this particular highway, which was finished in 2019. From Pindi Bhattian to Multan, 309 kilometers, the M4 Motorway varies in width from four to six lanes the whole way.
M5 Motorway
The Multan to Sukkur Motorway, also known as the M5 Motorway, was constructed in 2019. It has six lanes wide with a length of 392 km. The portion of the M-5 motorway that runs between Multan and Sukkur and has 392 kilometers is just a small part of the intended Karachi and Peshawar motorway.
This would have a total length of 1 100 kilometers. Because it cuts down on the amount of time it takes to carry products from the Karakorum Highway to Karachi and Gwadar, the M-5 highway is regarded as the most important component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
It is a 6-lane road with 11 interchanges that connects many towns in the province of Punjab, such as Sukkur, Ubaro, Peerwala, Rahimyar khan, Multan, Jalapur, Ahmed Pur East is also one of places that can be reached using this route.
M6 Motorway
The Motorway from Sukkur to Hyderabad, often known as the M6, is presently under construction and is not yet operational. The M6 Motorway, which would stretch 306 kilometers, will include six lanes.
M7 Motorway
The Dadu to Hub route will be taken by the M7 Motorway, which will stretch over 270 kilometers. The proposal for the project has not yet been approved, and the building has not yet begun.
M8 Motorway
The M8 Motorway, formerly known as the M8 Motorway, is the longest in Pakistan, stretching from Ratodero to Gwadar and clocking in at 892 kilometers. The highway is only accessible in a limited capacity due to ongoing development on the remaining portion of the route.
M9 Motorway
The M9 Motorway, which connects Hyderabad and Karachi, is a six-lane road that is 136 kilometers long and has been in use since 1028. The term “Super Highway” is most generally used to refer to the Motorway. The M9 Hyderabad-Karachi Motorway was built on top of the Karachi-Hyderabad Super Highway, which was already in place.
This road link serves as the essential road connections in Pakistan since it connects Karachi & Hyderabad, both large cities in the province of Sindh. Because of the improvements made to this road, it is now a six-lane expressway that is 136 kilometers long.
It has been equipped with controlled entrance and exit points at the eight interchanges built along its route. Along the M-9 Motorway are also located various of the most important housing societies outside Karachi. These housing societies include Bahria Town Karachi and DHA City.
M10 Motorway
This stretch of the M10 Motorway, popularly known as the Karachi Northern Bypass, extends for 57 kilometers. The two-lane highway was constructed in 2007, and plans are to expand it to four lanes soon. Karachi’s Northern Bypass directly connects the Karachi Port and the M-9 Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway.
The transporters have access to the alternatives that allow them to go between the two locations as quickly as possible, thanks to this route. The National Highway Authority (NHA) only recently upgraded this bypass to the level of a motorway, and it is called the M-10 Karachi Motorway. Its official name is also the same.
M11 Motorway
The four-laned Lahore to Sialkot Motorway, often known as the M9 Motorway, opened in 2020 and spanned 103 kilometers.
Conclusion
This article explains the 11 motorways in Pakistan, their routes, names, and length. Every single detail is discussed here.
