Sialkot-Lahore Motorway, opening to general traffic on March 30, will help speed up economic development of Pakistan, says Mossadaq Chughtai, a Pakistani-American entrepreneur with investments in the key manufacturing hub of the country.
“The realization of this long-awaited project will improve connectivity of golden industrial triangle of Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat-Wazirabad to the rest of the country especially Lahore, resulting in a big boost to exports,” Chughtai, who hails from Sialkot, told Views and News in an interview.
Located in the eastern part of Punjab, the area now connected via motorway is a key manufacturing part of the country, accounting for about 15 percent of Pakistan’s annual exports. Exports from Sialkot range from sports equipment like World Cup football brands like Brazuka, to surgical tools, leather garments, riding gear, polo equipment, badges, motorbike accessories and agricultural products including the world-famous Basmati rice.
Mossadaq Chughtai
Neighboring Gujranwala is the center of ceramic and textile products while Wazirabad and Gujarat provide a big share of cutlery. The area is also agricultural heartland of the country.
Now, the new stretch of the motorway with its connecting points will reduce the travel time between the industrial zones and shipment facilities in Lahore metropolis in central Punjab. For example, transport between Mehmood Booti (Ring Road) on the outskirts of Lahore and Sialkot will be just one hour. At the moment, it takes around 3 hours to travel from Lahore to Sialkot but the new Motorway portion, known as M-11, will save around two hours.
“This will save millions of rupees spent on fuel and ensure fast-paced shipments for businesses,” Chughtai says.
Sialkot International Airport, Image: YaminJanjua / Wikimedia
Additionally, Chughtai, who also founded Pakistani American Leadership Center, says Sialkot International Airport, the country’s first ever privately built facility, will also see a rapid rise in passenger travel and generate revenues to the tune of tens of millions in Pakistan rupee.
The Sialkot-Lahore Motorway has been built at an approximate cost of Rs 40 billion and runs 91.47 km, consisting of two lanes on each side with seven interchanges, namely Kala Shah Kaku, Muridke, Narowal, Gujranwala, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial, according to government figures.
This summer SIAL Air, a Sialkot-based airline, is starting three domestic flights of Airbus that will operate in the first phase from Sialkot to Karachi – Islamabad – Lahore – Peshawar.
“The ease and pace of shipment as well as freeing up of large sums of money will step up economic activity as businesses will invest more. There will be more jobs and more people employed.
“A surge in manufacturing will lead to a jump in exports, something that Pakistan needs urgently to break out of its current low volume hovering between $20 to $25 billion annually,” Chughtai said.
With modern infrastructure, Pakistan would now be much better-placed to diversify its manufacturing base.
“It gives a tremendous edge to Pakistan to explore potential in new industries including engineering and electronics,” said Mossadaq Chughtai.
Reasonable analysis by Mosaddaq Chughtai.
M11 project of previous govt. only reason of delay was court decision the then time saying it may add up public sympathese in favour of PML-N during national elections.
After many hiccups M11 has become reality now.