KARACHI:
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday inaugurated the 39 kilometer long Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway and also performed the groundbreaking of its strategic extension from Qayyumabad to Karachi Port.
The PPP chief said the project is an important milestone for Karachi’s urban mobility, transport efficiency and economic connectivity.
The inauguration ceremony of the Sindh government’s flagship infrastructure project was held at the Kathore interchange near the M-9 highway, where Bilawal, accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, formally opened the high-speed corridor for traffic.
Before the ceremony, Bilawal, again accompanied by Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah, arrived at Shahrah-e-Bhutto and personally drove the expressway during its inaugural run and also paid the toll himself.
The newly inaugurated Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway stretches approximately 39 kilometers from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Kathore Bridge.
It has been developed as a six-lane controlled-access corridor with a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour. The project includes six interchanges, two central toll plazas, five weighing stations and an underpass, and has been completed at a total cost of Rs 54.814 billion.
Addressing the ceremony, the PPP chairman said that the completion of Shahrah-e-Bhutto reflected his party’s commitment to modern infrastructure, public welfare and long-term urban planning.
“Karachi is the economic engine of Pakistan and its future depends on modern connectivity, efficient transport systems and sustainable infrastructure,” he said. “The Pakistan Peoples Party does not believe in empty slogans – we believe in delivering projects that improve people’s lives.”
He said Shahrah-e-Bhutto would significantly reduce travel time between central Karachi and the M-9 highway while easing traffic congestion on existing routes. “This highway is not just a road, it is a new economic corridor that will support trade, investment, industrial growth and employment,” he added.
The PPP chairman further said that the Qayyumabad to Karachi Port expansion project would strengthen connectivity between the city’s industrial zones, port infrastructure and national highways.
“Karachi Port is the backbone of Pakistan’s trade economy and this expansion will provide a direct, efficient and modern route for both cargo movement and commuters,” he said.
