Bilawal inaugurates Shahrah-e-Bhutto

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday inaugurated the 39-kilometre Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway and also performed the groundbreaking of its strategic extension from Qayyumabad to Karachi Port.

The PPP chief said the project is a major milestone for Karachi's urban mobility, transport efficiency and economic connectivity.

The inauguration ceremony of the Sindh government's flagship infrastructure project was held at the Kathore Interchange near the M-9 Motorway, where Bilawal, accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, formally opened the high-speed corridor for traffic.

Before the ceremony, Bilawal, again accompanied by Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah, arrived at Shahrah-e-Bhutto and personally drove on the expressway during its inaugural run, also paying the toll tax himself.

The newly inaugurated Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway stretches approximately 39 kilometres from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Kathore Bridge.

It has been developed 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, the PPP chairman said the completion of Shahrah-e-Bhutto reflected his party's commitment to modern infrastructure, public welfare and long-term urban planning.

"Karachi is the economic engine of Pakistan, and its future depends on modern connectivity, efficient transport systems and sustainable infrastructure," he 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 routes. "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 further said the extension project from Qayyumabad to Karachi Port would strengthen connectivity between the city's industrial zones, 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.