Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday inaugurated the newly completed 39-kilometre Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway and simultaneously performed the groundbreaking of its strategic extension from Qayyumabad to Karachi Port, describing the project as a historic milestone that would transform Karachi’s urban mobility, economic connectivity and transport infrastructure.
The inauguration ceremony of the Sindh government’s flagship infrastructure project was held at Kathore Interchange near the M-9 Motorway, where Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, formally opened the high-speed corridor for traffic.
Before the ceremony, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, arrived at Shahrah-e-Bhutto where Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari himself drove on the expressway during its inaugural journey and also paid the toll tax.
The newly inaugurated Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway stretches approximately 39 kilometres from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Kathore Bridge and has been designed as a six-lane controlled-access corridor with a speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour. The project includes six interchanges, two main toll plazas, five weigh stations and an underpass, and has been completed at a total cost of Rs54.814 billion.
Addressing the ceremony, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the completion of Shahrah-e-Bhutto reflected the Pakistan Peoples Party’s commitment to modern infrastructure, public welfare and long-term urban development.
“Karachi is the economic engine of Pakistan, and its future depends on modern connectivity, efficient transport systems and sustainable infrastructure,” Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said. “The Pakistan Peoples Party does not believe in empty slogans – we believe in delivering projects that improve the lives of people.”
He said Shahrah-e-Bhutto would significantly reduce travel time between central Karachi and the M-9 Motorway while easing traffic congestion on existing roads. “This expressway is not merely a road; it is a new economic corridor that will support trade, investment, industrial growth and employment generation,” he added.
The PPP chairman said the extension project from Qayyumabad to Karachi Port would further strengthen connectivity between the city’s industrial areas, port infrastructure and national highways.
“Karachi Port is the backbone of Pakistan’s trade economy, and this extension will provide a direct, efficient and modern route for cargo movement and commuters alike,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah termed Shahrah-e-Bhutto one of the most significant infrastructure projects undertaken by the Sindh government in recent years.
“We promised the people of Karachi modern infrastructure, and today we are fulfilling that commitment,” Murad Shah said. “Shahrah-e-Bhutto will drastically improve mobility, reduce fuel consumption, save travel time and provide a safer and faster transport corridor for citizens.”
The chief minister said the expressway had been completed despite economic challenges and rising construction costs, reflecting the Sindh government’s determination to modernise Karachi’s road network.
Sindh Chief Minister said that development projects worth more than Rs1.7 trillion are currently underway in Karachi, adding that the Sindh government’s foremost priority was to ensure that no citizen was displaced during the execution of these mega projects.
Murad Shah added that the newly launched Karachi Port to Qayyumabad Corridor would further integrate Karachi’s transport system and facilitate commercial activity linked to the port.
Qayyumabad to Karachi Port: The extension project, spanning approximately 16.5 kilometres from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Karachi Port’s East Wharf and SAP Terminal, will include a four-lane corridor with additional spur links, interchanges and tolling infrastructure at an estimated cost of Rs64.20 billion.
Minister Local Government Nasir Shah informed the ceremony that the extension corridor would provide direct connectivity for cargo and commercial traffic moving to and from Karachi Port, reducing congestion on existing city roads and improving logistics efficiency.
Nasir Shah added that the corridor is expected to reduce heavy-vehicle movement on residential and commercial arteries, improve road safety, and support smoother logistics operations for exporters and importers using Karachi Port.
According to CM Special Assistant Syed Qasim Naveed, Shahrah-e-Bhutto was launched in May 2022 and has an estimated benchmark traffic capacity of over 23,800 vehicles daily, while approximately 17,000 vehicles are already using the Qayyumabad-to-Quaidabad section on an average day.
Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that Shahrah-e-Bhutto is not merely a road, but a manifestation of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) commitment to the people of the country, the province, and the city of Karachi. He noted that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has simultaneously launched a number of development projects aimed at easing traffic congestion, improving connectivity, and upgrading civic infrastructure across the metropolis.
The Karachi Port extension corridor is expected to accommodate over 10,000 vehicles daily upon completion.