{
  "id": 1190575,
  "title": "Work on $2.5bn Karachi-Peshawar ML-1 railway project to begin in January, expected to take up to 3 years to complete",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/work-on-2-5bn-karachi-peshawar-ml-1-railway-project-to-begin-in",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-16T03:45:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn Business",
    "slug": "dawn-business",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2023200/work-on-25bn-karachi-peshawar-ml-1-railway-project-to-begin-in-january-expected-to-take-up-to-3-years-to-complete"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Civil works on the $2.5 billion Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project in Pakistan are set to commence in January 2027, according to Pakistan Railways (PR). The project, which aims to connect Karachi to Peshawar, is expected to be completed within a span of three years. The first phase covers the 480km stretch from Karachi to Rohri/Sukkur, with plans to lay new tracks and install fencing to prevent unauthorized access. The project's completion is crucial for carrying 76% of passenger and 98% of freight traffic, as well as connecting major population centers and industrial zones. The project is anticipated to be funded by the Asian Development Bank, with additional co-financing sought from AIIB, EIN, the World Bank, and the IsDB. Discussions with contractors and consultants are scheduled to commence on September 8, with the goal of awarding contracts by the following January. The upgraded infrastructure is projected to increase train speeds to up to 160km per hour.",
  "summary": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2023146",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn Business",
        "title": "Work on $2.5bn ML-1 to begin in January",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/work-on-2-5bn-ml-1-to-begin-in-january",
        "published": "2026-08-16T03:25:53.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}