ISLAMABAD – April 17, 2025: The federal government has officially announced the construction work for two new motorways, M-12 (Sialkot-Kharian) and M-13 (Kharian-Rawalpindi). The main aim is to raise travel efficiency and, of course, provide the region with the necessary connectivity across northern Punjab.

Two New Motorways Announced By Government:

The M-12 Motorway, according to the NHA, will be nearly 69 kilometers long which is the interconnection between Sialkot and Kharian. This will also form the end section of M-11 (Lahore–Sialkot Motorway) where the journey could be conducted at a high speed successively from Lahore to Kharian. Further, the M-13 Motorway is based on 117 kilometers, and it will provide a new way from Kharian to Rawalpindi, and at the same time will cut off the trouble of the GT Road with a considerably shorter travel time.

In the cost-cutting mood, the government has decided to go from the very start with 6 lanes for both motorways, a move that is expected to result in an Rs 11 billion saving in the cost of future expansion. “Planning for long-term needs now will prevent costly upgrades later,” a representative of NHA said.

The NHA is currently working on the finalization of the technical and financial designs of the 2 projects, and official announcements should be made by April 30, 2025.

Through access to Pakistan’s broader infrastructure plans, new motorways such as M-12 and M-13 are equipped with modern features like service areas, emergency lanes, and intelligent traffic management systems that can be easily handled by international operators.

Trading and accessibility sectors in the region will be provided with notable growth as the new routes will improve the system of transport, promote the economic potential of the region, and shorten travel time. The cities of Sialkot, Jhelum, and Rawalpindi will benefit the most from the industrial and commercial projects because of the construction of these motorways.

Locals and entrepreneurs have received the notification with open arms, and they are hopeful about the reduced travel time, the cleaner and safer roads, and the easier access to the national and regional markets. There is a predicted increase in the significance of Pakistan’s growing transportation network of motorways.