ISLAMABAD – Pakistan ranks at 21th position worldwide for the size of itsroad network, according to available data. The country is likely toimprove its ranking and quality significantly with the construction of newmega projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
According to a reportlinkbyCompetition Commission of Pakistan citing CIA’s Factbook, the total lengthof roads in the country stands at 264,401 km currently, a figure whichincludes both high and low type roads.
In 1947, Pakistan inherited 50,367 km of roads out of which 9,809 km roadswere of a high type and 40,558 km of a low type. Over time this network hasexpanded.
During 2017, the total length of roads, including that of Azad Jammu andKashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), has increased to 264,401 thousandkm which include both high and low type roads, the report said.
According to the official CPEC website, five major road constructionprojects are underway, with a total length of 966km having an estimatedcost of $5.34 billion.
Under the CPEC umbrella, road construction projects are being funded by theGovernment of Pakistan under PSDP as well as by the Government of China.
Different parts of motorways and highways of nearly 1,035 kilometers willbe completed in the coming months of 2018 by NHA. There are many suchprojects being planned and developed in the upcoming years by thegovernment and NHA under a public-private partnership basis.
The development of road projects under CPEC and NHA will not only improvethe ranking of the country but it will also enhance the quality of the roadnetwork, transportation and logistics as well.
According to the World Economic Forum Pakistan ranks at 77th for its roadnetwork quality.
The quality of the road network is being upgraded gradually due to roadconstruction and development projects under the different highway andmotorway programs through Pakistan Sector Development Program (PSDP).
Given the 264,401 kilometer road network in Pakistan, about 187,807 km ofit is considered as high quality by the national authorities. About 75,549kilometers of the road network is considered to be of low quality.
In Pakistan, road transportation is the preferred mode of transportationfor the movement of goods as well as people. Road transportation ispreferred over rail and air transportation because it is more economicaland time-saving. In the remote and rural areas, road transportation is theonly available form of transportation for people and freight movement.
Punjab has the highest share with 41% of the road network. It is followedby Sindh at 31%, KP at 16%, Balochistan at 11%, and GB at 1%.