The Quetta-Karachi Highway, also known as the NH-25 or RCD Highway, is an important road link connecting Balochistan to the rest of Pakistan and the Arabian Sea. The length of this highway is 813 km, which connects Karachi with the Pak-Afghan border town of Chaman. The highway passes through 10 major cities in Balochistan, including Bela, Khuzdar, Kalat, Quetta, and Chaman. The highway is also part of the Asian Highway Network (AH7), which connects Pakistan with Iran.
The Quetta-Karachi Highway provides access to markets, trade, and commerce for the province’s products and resources. NH-25 now hosts around 10,000 vehicles a day. Balochistan lies at the heart of China’s $64 billion investment initiative, CPEC. This highway facilitates the transportation of goods and services from Balochistan to Karachi and beyond, as well as the import of essential commodities from other parts of Pakistan and abroad. The highway also enables the movement of people and labour across the province and country. It creates opportunities for employment, education, health care, and tourism.
The highway also fosters social harmony and integration among Balochistan’s diverse ethnic groups and communities, such as Baloch, Pashtun, Hazara, Sindhis, Saraikis, Brahvis, and others. This highway promotes cultural exchange and dialogue between the people of Balochistan and other provinces of Pakistan. It plays an important role in the development and modernization of the province and the country. NH-25 is part of several megaprojects aimed at transforming Balochistan into a hub for regional connectivity and economic cooperation. Local people of the province and citizens from all over the country visit the gateway to the natural waterfalls, beautiful landscapes, coastal areas, religious places, and cultural heritage of Balochistan.
The Quetta-Karachi highway plays an important role in connecting Gwadar Port with other parts of Pakistan and facilitating the implementation of CPEC.
However, despite its importance and potential benefits to Balochistan and Pakistan, the Quetta-Karachi highway faces several challenges that require urgent attention. NH-25 is a single-lane highway that was constructed some 30 years ago. Drivers are of the view that hilly terrain has zero visibility before sharp turns, leading to overtaking and high-speed accidents on the single-lane road. Passenger buses also carry barrels of oil, clothes, and other goods that easily catch fire, and this is an illegal practice.
The government needs to speed up the ongoing upgrade project and ensure that the Quetta-Karachi dual carriageway meets standards of safety, quality, and efficiency protocols. Additionally, measures are to be taken to ensure regular maintenance of the highway and its facilities, such as bridges, tunnels, and rest areas. Trackers should be installed in passenger buses and wagons to be monitored by the National Highway and Motorway Police. People must be educated about the importance of the highway and the potential benefits it could bring to their province and country. In short, it is imperative that the government take all necessary steps to promote a sense of ownership and pride for the highway among the people of Balochistan.
