IsDB Approves $475m for M-6 Sukkur–Hyderabad Motorway Project

Islamabad: The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved a USD 475 million financing package for the construction of the M-6 Sukkur–Hyderabad Motorway, a major component of Pakistan’s north–south transport corridor.

The decision was finalized by the IsDB Board of Executive Directors on Tuesday. Spanning 306 kilometres, the six-lane motorway will fill a critical gap in the Karachi–Peshawar route, which forms part of the Eastern Alignment of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Estimated at USD 1.7 billion, the project will feature 89 bridges, 15 interchanges, and 243 underpasses, designed for speeds of up to 120 km/h. Construction is slated to begin in April 2026, with the Sindh government already moving ahead with land acquisition. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has instructed officials to expedite the transfer of both state-owned and private land, after earlier delays stemming from litigation.

The M-10 Motorway (Karachi Northern Bypass) is also being upgraded and extended to link directly with the M-6 at Jamshoro, creating a high-capacity route for freight and passenger traffic from Karachi Port.

The M-6 has experienced repeated delays due to funding shortfalls, with costs rising from USD 617 million in 2018 to USD 1.1 billion in 2022, and now USD 1.7 billion. The government has listed the project as a priority in the Public Sector Development Programme for FY2025–26 and is working with multiple international financiers—including IsDB, the Saudi Fund for Development, and the Asian Development Bank—to close the funding gap.