KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurated the second phase of Shahrah-e-Bhutto (Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Expressway), calling it a big gift from the PPP government to the people of Karachi.
Speaking at the ceremony, Shah said the expressway will improve travel, support business growth, and help industries connect better. He was joined by ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon, Nasir Hussain Shah, and Senator Waqar Mehdi. The group drove along the new section, paid toll tax, and reviewed the project’s progress.
The expressway is 38.66 kilometers long, has six lanes, and a design speed of 100 km/h. It links DHA and Korangi to the M-9 Motorway near Kathore. The project includes six interchanges and 12 toll plazas. So far, 80% of the work has been completed.
Large crowds of PPP supporters attended the event, raising slogans in favour of ZA Bhutto and the chief minister. Shah said this was the largest project under Sindh’s public-private partnership and will greatly change Karachi’s infrastructure.
He directed officials to speed up the remaining section between Quaidabad and Kathore. The expressway starts 200 meters before Jam Sadiq Interchange. Shah said efforts are ongoing to build a new roundabout or permanent interchange at Korangi Causeway to improve connections from DHA and Korangi.
Highlighting the importance of better roads for progress, Shah said the government is working to build faster and safer links between cities and industries. He admitted there were delays due to utility shifting and local issues but promised to complete the remaining work by December 2025.
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This follows the first phase opening — from Shah Faisal to Quaidabad — which PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated on January 11, 2025. Shah said Bilawal would also inaugurate the final part up to Kathore in December.
The CM also revealed plans for a new road from the port to Qayyumabad with help from the business community. “Some have started appreciating our work,” he said. “To those still raising doubts, I say the people of Sindh know the truth.”
Shah also criticized the federal government, accusing it of treating Sindh unfairly. He said the federal government shut down the Public Works Department (PWD), which used to handle provincial development projects.
“They gave projects and funds to other provinces but ignored Sindh,” Shah said. He warned the federal government against controlling Sindh’s development through a new company from Islamabad, calling it a plan backed by land grabbers and the so-called ‘China-cutting mafia.’
“If they don’t give Sindh its due rights, the PPP will oppose the federal budget in parliament,” Shah warned. “We will not accept this colonial-style rule.”
He also dismissed rumors about security concerns on the expressway, calling them false. Shah referred to a false claim that dacoits were hiding along the road and urged people not to spread baseless stories. He said PPP MNA Agha Rafiullah had written to him about an issue, and he had ordered officials to solve it.
Work on Karachi-Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorways to Start This Year
In a related move, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has announced that the long-delayed Karachi-Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway project will begin this year.
He said the Islamic Development Bank is ready to fund the project, and final approval is expected in September after its board meeting. Commenting on Murad Shah’s speech, Aleem Khan said he is only responsible for the past year and does not wish to blame previous governments, including the PPP, for past delays.
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He stressed that connecting Karachi Port to the National Motorway network is essential for trade and business. Without this link, the motorway will not be useful for import and export activities.
Aleem Khan criticized all past governments for wasting years by not starting the Karachi-Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway. He reaffirmed that the federal government is committed to building the full route within two years.
He also announced that the Northern Bypass would be upgraded to an 8-lane highway and connected to the new motorway. The Sukkur-Hyderabad section has been divided into five zones. The Islamic Development Bank will fund three of these, while the remaining two will be financed by other banks or donors.
Aleem Khan thanked the Sindh Chief Minister and said the federal government may ask Sindh to contribute Rs25 billion, if needed.
He said the government wants to complete the $2 billion project using local resources as much as possible.
The federal minister also shared that the National Highway Authority is working to upgrade the Lyari Expressway to international standards. Once completed, it will also be a major gift to Karachi residents.
