Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Thursday informed the Senate that the government will launch an air ambulance service on all national highways by next year to ensure timely first aid and rapid transportation of accident victims to nearby hospitals.
He said protecting citizens’ lives was the top priority and the new service would significantly reduce fatalities caused by delays in medical assistance.
Responding to questions during the Question Hour, the minister said that Pakistan’s road network required urgent upgrades, especially in high-risk areas. He highlighted that 44 percent of the National Highway Authority’s (NHA) entire road network lies in Balochistan, underscoring the province’s strategic importance and the federal government’s responsibility to invest heavily in its infrastructure.
He said the government had already redirected petroleum levy funds to expedite construction of the Pakistan Expressway from Karachi to Chaman, which would be completed within two years. The contract, he added, had been awarded to the Frontier Works Organization.
Chitral-Shandur Road Progress
Replying to a question raised by Senator Talha Mahmood, the minister said the 53-kilometre Chitral-Shandur road had been divided into four packages. He reported that Package-I stood 44% complete, Package-II at 25%, and Package-III at 37%. He added that delays were caused primarily by pending land acquisition in Upper Chitral, but the federal government had now approved Rs 1.2 billion, which would be transferred within a week to accelerate work. He said the Ministry aimed to finish the project ahead of the December 2026 timeline.
Provincial Roads Transfer to NHA
Responding to queries from Senators Falak Naz and Bilal Mandokhail regarding under construction roads that should be federalised, Abdul Aleem Khan said provincial governments must formally request NHA to take over such routes. Once transferred, the ministry could reconstruct and rehabilitate them using federal resources.
He said several tourism corridors across KP, AJK, and Gilgit-Baltistan had been identified as high-priority routes. The federal government had offered to build these roads from its own funds, provided provinces transfer administrative control. “Local residents will remain exempt from toll tax-only tourists will pay,” he added.
Safety Measures and Design Flaws
Answering Senator Talha Mahmood, the minister acknowledged severe safety hazards on certain mountainous stretches where lack of protective guardrails had resulted in repeated fatal accidents. He announced that protective rails would now be installed immediately on all completed portions, instead of waiting for full road completion.
He assured the Senate that “saving human lives is our foremost duty.” On concerns raised by Senator Aimal Wali Khan about flawed road design near Islamabad Airport, he said the ministry would construct a new bridge if required to resolve dangerous turning points and improve traffic flow.