The Hyderabad–Sukkur Motorway (M-6) is finally moving toward full-scale development, as construction on all five sections is expected to begin simultaneously within the current financial year, according to National Highways Authority (NHA) Chairman Muhammad Shehryar Sultan.
Speaking before the Senate Standing Committee on Communications, Sultan clarified that the Rs15 billion allocated in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) is meant for project oversight and supervision, rather than physical construction. Full-scale building activity is projected to begin by March or April 2026, once final negotiations with multilateral investors are concluded.
The 306-kilometre M-6 motorway has a revised estimated cost of Rs363.70 billion and will be built over 30 months. Notably, the project is being funded through a diverse mix of public-private partnerships (PPP) and international development financing:
- Sections 1 & 2: To be executed under a PPP model with support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and a Viability Gap Fund (VGF) contribution from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
- Section 3: Likely to be financed by the OPEC Fund and the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).
- Sections 4 & 5: Backed by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), which has pledged $475 million in support.
Separately, the committee also addressed the pending Sehwan Bypass, initially planned under the CAREC Tranche-1 project. Due to the ADB-funded project’s closure, the bypass is now being proposed under a new PC-I for inclusion in the upcoming PSDP.
With funds aligned and partnerships secured, the M-6 is poised to become a critical infrastructure milestone, transforming Sindh’s transport connectivity and reducing travel time between major southern cities.
