Ayesha Saba

Several infrastructure projects designed to promote tourism and strengthen digital connectivity in remote and strategically important areas could not be completed within their scheduled timelines of 2025 due to various factors. These projects are being executed by Universal Service Fund (USF) under the National Highways & Motorways (NH&MW) network and the Access Program (4G).

According to a document available with Wealth Pakistan, under the Tourist Destination and NH&MW component, the Tourist Destination K-1 project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa covers key districts of Mansehra and Abbottabad, with an access route length of 97.95 kilometres. The project was to be completed in 2025, but got delayed due to adverse weather conditions, inter-departmental dependencies, and delays in obtaining no-objection certificates (NOCs).

The second delayed project is NH&MW Lot-9 (N-35 KKH), which spans districts of Attock, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, and Kohistan, with a total road length of 144.33 kilometres. Work progress on the project is 50% as it has been affected by road alignment issues amid the Dasu Dam construction. Meanwhile, under the Access Program (4G), five projects, implemented to improve connectivity in remote and previously underserved regions, were delayed for various reasons.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the North Waziristan Lot targeting 190 mauzas, and serving a population of 483,451, could achieve 50% progress in 2025. The South Waziristan Lot, covering 182 mauzas and a target population of 352,708, was also delayed because of prolonged security and access issues. The Kurram Lot, also in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aims to benefit 224 mauzas and a population of 442,675, and is currently under active implementation.

In Balochistan, the Pishin Lot covering districts of Pishin, Killa Abdullah, and Quetta, and targeting 378 mauzas and a population of 646,620, achieved only 50% progress as its completion was hampered by security challenges and local disputes. The Musakhel Lot, spanning Musakhel, Barkhan, and Sherani, and targeting 114 mauzas and a population of 71,792, has achieved 75% completion, making it the most advanced project under the Access Program.

Collectively, the five Access Program projects are expected to benefit 1,088 mauzas and a population of approximately 1.99 million people, significantly improving broad access, mobility, and economic integration in remote regions, which is crucial for economic uplift, tourism promotion, and digital inclusion in some of Pakistan’s most remote and vulnerable regions.

Credit: INP-WealthPk