'Road infrastructure plays key role in economic progress'

Road infrastructure has a profound and enduring impact on the economic fabric with pivotal role in propelling country's economic growth on swift velocity. The most effective and sustainable way to address the scourge of poverty is to link backward and far-flung areas with the developed areas.
Construction of new roads opens new vistas and avenues of opportunities to those areas and their lives are changed forever. A network of quality roads can spur economic growth and help the country realise its geo economic potential.
Early completion of a road networks connecting agricultural centres and industrial zones of the country with main road arteries of the country and onward linkage to trading centres of the countries of the region is top priority of the present government.
"On completion of the National Trade Corridor by 2012", says Minister for Communications Shamim Siddiqui, "the cargo travel time from Karachi to Peshawar would be reduced from 72 hours to 36 hours, and road losses would be reduced to the tune of over $1 billion per annum which will reduce annual transportation cost by 10 per cent.
"We are revamping the existing infrastructure and are focusing to develop a new one that would carry good promise to achieve our ends. Rupees 520 billion will be spent on rehabilitation and upgradation of highways and motorways in the country during next five years," adds the Minister.
"Under the vision of President General Pervez Musharraf, roads network of the country is being revamped as a strong communication system was essential for the progress and prosperity of the country", says Shamim Siddiqui.
Chairman National Highway Authority Major General Imtiaz Ahmed says roads not only provide impetus to the economic development but also promote inter-regional harmony and integration among people from different areas of a country. He said, we in NHA also believe in the fact that "the road to progress and prosperity leads through development of network of quality highways".
Apart from harmony and establishment of co-ordinated transport system, he said, NTC would also facilitate international and bilateral trade, tourism and traffic in transit for landlocked countries, which hopefully will culminate into tangible benefits and economic prosperity of the people of Asia Pacific region.
Pakistan's primary artery and the main North-South corridor linking Karachi with Torkham on Pakistan - Afghanistan border via Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar the National Highway N-5 is the mainstay of the country's road network and its economic lifeline.