Pakistan Muslim League (N) is known for improving the communication system of the country by laying a net of motorways and highways. The newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is famous for his tireless efforts to make sure timely and quality completion of development projects. Undoubtedly, massive development in the past in the country’s populous province of Punjab proves this.
Now when Shehbaz Sharif has taken over as the Chief Executive of the country. The people of Balochistan have pinned high hopes on the Prime Minister especially regarding improving the road network in the province, which covers almost half of the country in terms of area.
Former PM Nawaz Sharif linked Islamabad with Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, D I Khan, and Sukkur with motorways. Unfortunately, Balochistan was not on his radar to link it with the rest of the country through the construction of motorways. Despite the fact that the former PM had key nationalist allies in Balochistan. Even then, not a single motorway was constructed.
The outgoing Premier Imran Khan’s era also ended without the construction of a single-kilometer motorway.
Road accidents have claimed thousands of precious human lives on all highways of Balochistan linking it with the rest of the country. Repeated announcements have been made regarding the construction of the Quetta-Karachi highway. Nevertheless, words are yet to match action in this regard.
Long distances, narrow roads and reckless driving are the underlying reasons behind increasing incidents of road accidents across Balochistan.
The newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should go beyond words and meet one of the long-standing demands of the people of Balochistan. The province is faced with a host of issues. The ratio of unemployment and poverty is high in Balochistan as compared to other provinces of the country.
Improvement in the communication system/ construction of the motorway and linking Balochistan with the rest of the country via road network can help improve socio-economic conditions and bring an end to increasing traffic accidents in the province.
