Islamabad; October 19, 2011: President Asif Ali Zardari today directed to explore ways to complete the up-gradation project of Karachi-Hyderabad Super Highway (M-9) into a motorway in fifteen months from the date of commencement of work on the project and also directed Finance Minister Dr. Hafeez Sheikh and Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to hold meeting with the bidders and provincial authorities to finalize the modalities.

 

During a review meeting on the up-gradation of Karachi-Hyderabad Super Highway (M-9), it was informed that Request for Proposal have been submitted by two bidders, one from Malaysia and the other from Pakistan, which were being scrutinized from Financial and Evaluation perspectives.

 

It was informed that after issuance of Letter of Intent & Support, the project would enter into the stage of formal negotiations and signing of concession agreement with the qualifying firm by the end of this year. The commencement of construction would start by early next year, it was told.

 

The meeting today presided over by President Asif Ali Zardari and attended among others by Finance Minister Dr. Hafeez Shiekh, Secretary General Mr. Salman Faruqui, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Nadeem-ul-Haq, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Finance Minister Sindh, Federal Secretaries of Finance, EAD and Communication divisions along with provincial secretaries and Chief Secretary Sindh Raja Muhammad Abbas, reviewed the progress made so far on the up-gradation of M-9 project which was currently serving a traffic volume of over 21000 vehicles per day with over 60% of heavy traffic.

 

Spokesperson Mr. Farhatullah Babar and other senior officials were also present during the meeting.

 

The President said that thought may also be given to undertake the project on the basis Public Private Partnership (PPP) and BOO (Build, Operate and Own) as an incentive to entrepreneurs to complete it expeditiously.

 

The President also said that the project could also be divided into sections and subcontracted by the main contractor so to expedite the work on the project.