Pakistan constructs what will be the longest river bridge in South Asia, Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge, which spans 12.5 kilometers across the Indus River in Sindh Province. The project, which is expected to be completed by 2028 at an estimated cost of the RS30.5 billion, aims to improve regional connection and spur economic development.

“This will be the longest river bridge in the entire South Asian region,” said Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar, special assistant to Chief Minister of Sindh on investment and public-private partnership, during a meeting with members of business on Thursday.

Qamar noted that construction work has been running for the past two years and is currently moving on at full pace. “We aim to end and inaugurate the bridge in 2028,” he added.

Strategically located at the tri-intersection of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan, the bridge is expected to drastically cut travel time over indus from 2.5 hours to just 15 minutes. In addition to improving mobility, it is also seen as a solution to sustained law and order problems and kidnapping events in the catcha areas, the underdeveloped low-lying regions near the river banks.

“While Ghotki has experienced some industrial development and better road infrastructure, Kandhkot has hung afterwards. This bridge will help open job opportunities and improve the livelihood of Kandhkot,” Qamar said.

During the meeting, Qamar and his team also presented almost a dozen infrastructure and social sector projects, including roads, schools, hospitals and special economic zones, with a total investment potential of over RS616 billion. The goal, he said, is to attract investment in the private sector through public-private partnerships.

Prominent business leaders who were present included MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Kccis Zubair Motiwala, Industrialist Arif Habib and other key stakeholders such as Arif Elahi, Danish Khan, Junaid Naqi, Zahid Saeed, Sameer Chinoy and Danish Elahi.