Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan briefed the Senate Standing Committee on Communications, stating that the National Highway Authority (NHA) has recorded a 63% increase in revenue in just one year.
He said that NHA’s revenue in 2024 was Rs66.8 billion, which rose to Rs108.9 billion in 2025.
According to Abdul Aleem Khan, NHA’s revenue had remained stagnant for the past six years, but significant growth was achieved within one year of his tenure. He expressed the vision of transforming NHA into a Rs400 to 500 billion organization without seeking funds from the government or any other source.
The minister also announced that an air ambulance service will be launched in 2026, providing emergency air transport on all roads and highways. Patients will be transported to hospitals by helicopter during emergencies.
He further stated that the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway is being revived after 30 years, and the Sukkur-Hyderabad and Hyderabad-Karachi motorways are a priority for him and the Prime Minister. New motorways are also being constructed from Sialkot to Kharian and Kharian to Rawalpindi.
Khan added that these motorways will be expanded from 4 to 6 lanes, reducing the distance between Lahore and Islamabad by 100 kilometers, with travel time cut to around 2.5–3.5 hours. The government has allocated Rs127 billion in PSDP, and the NHA has generated Rs108 billion from its own resources, expecting to earn even more next year.
He added that the road network will also connect Chitral to Shandur and further downstream areas. While projects worth Rs40 billion typically receive only Rs2–10 billion, several roads including Awaran, Kohat, and Bannu have already been completed. Funding arrangements up to Rs1.6 trillion have been made for major projects.
Abdul Aleem Khan emphasized that mega motorways and highways can be worked on simultaneously, with government funding also available. The Pakistan Expressway Quetta-Chaman project is expected to be completed within two years.
The Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, expressed satisfaction with Abdul Aleem Khan’s briefing.
