Muzzammil Aslam, the finance adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, announced on Saturday that the provincial administration intends to finance the proposed Peshawar-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway through budgetary savings and financial discipline. In a statement shared on social media following the issuance of the Expression of Interest for the project, he criticized the federal government for consistently neglecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the development of motorways and expressways.
Provincial Self-Reliance
Aslam stated that the provincial government has prepared the groundwork for the 360-kilometer motorway project using its own financial resources. He revealed that the province would require an initial contribution of between Rs200 billion and Rs250 billion for the scheme. He attributed this capability to prudent financial management, which has enabled the province to mobilize substantial resources without excessive dependence on external borrowing.
Avoiding Federal Delays
The finance adviser claimed that had the province relied solely on federal support, the project could have faced delays similar to those experienced by the Sukkur-Karachi Motorway project in Sindh. He emphasized that the Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway would become the first mega infrastructure project in the country to be undertaken by a province largely through its own resources, with more than half of the construction planned without loans.
Austerity Measures and Future Plans
Muzzammil Aslam attributed the province’s strong financial position to austerity measures introduced during the government of Imran Khan and the continuation of expenditure control policies by the current provincial administration. He also mentioned that the provincial government is planning to launch additional large-scale development projects in the coming months. This announcement comes amid other regional developments, including the opening of a specialized gastroenterology ward at Timergara Hospital and a review of the master plan for Kaghan Valley tourism development.
