{
  "id": 10957098,
  "title": "Aleem orders NHA to work with foreign experts on road engineering, highway design",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/aleem-orders-nha-to-work-with-foreign-experts-on-road-engineering",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-30T14:06:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn Business",
    "slug": "dawn-business",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2033761/aleem-orders-nha-to-work-with-foreign-experts-on-road-engineering-highway-design"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Islamabad: In a meeting chaired by Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, the National Highway Authority (NHA) was directed to collaborate with foreign experts to enhance road engineering and highway design. The minister emphasized the importance of road safety and urged the NHA to prioritize human lives in construction projects. Aleem expressed concerns about the design of the M-4 and other highways, stating that Pakistan’s roads should be green, safe, and comfortable while adhering to modern international standards. He directed the NHA to engage foreign experts to improve road engineering and develop motorways that are safer and more comfortable for motorists. The NHA had successfully achieved a revenue enhancement target set two years ago, and Aleem assured that new roads would be constructed using revenue from existing sources. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was set to inaugurate major road projects, including the Lodhran–Multan Expressway, Peshawar Northern Bypass, and the expansion of the Pindi Bhattian–Faisalabad Motorway. The Sialkot–Kharian Motorway was progressing rapidly, and construction had begun on the Karachi–Quetta–Chaman Pakistan Expressway (N-25). Aleem directed NHA authorities to take immediate action to improve the condition of the Lahore–Gujranwala GT Road and provide relief to travelers. The NHA manages only 3.13% of the country’s road network but carries over 80% of the country's traffic. The authority will provide Prime Minister Shehbaz a detailed performance report over the past two and a half years. During the meeting, federal secretary for communications Ali Sher Mahsud and NHA Chairman Sheheryar Sultan briefed the group on the progress of ongoing and proposed projects. It was decided to seek Rs108 billion in funding from the federal government for NHA projects in Balochistan. In February, the NHA was identified as the \"largest loss-maker\" for the government, operating on a structural deficit model and relying on budgetary support, with accumulated losses of Rs2.074 trillion as per the Central Monitoring Unit's report for the year ended June 30, 2025.",
  "summary": "ISLAMABAD: Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to work with foreign experts to improve road engineering and highway design in a meeting on Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by Aleem, reviewed the NHA’s ongoing and proposed projects, revenue enhancement, road safety and developmental programmes. The minister directed NHA officials to ensure road…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Aleem orders NHA to work with foreign experts on road engineering, highway design",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/aleem-orders-nha-to-work-with-foreign-experts-on-road-engineering-10957312",
        "published": "2026-09-30T14:06:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}