Sialkot-Kharian Motorway delay puts completion in 2028
The Sialkot-Kharian Motorway delay has pushed the project’s expected completion into 2028, according to government documents and project information. On October 28, the Press Information Department said the Sambrial-Kharian M-12 was 21% complete and that the government wanted it finished six months ahead of its 2028 target.
That announcement signals an effort to accelerate construction. It does not mean the motorway will open by a confirmed date: the government release gives no specific revised opening day or month.
The motorway is planned to connect Sambrial, near the end of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway, with Kharian on the N-5. Project company SKIM describes it as a 69-kilometre, six-lane, access-controlled route through the Sialkot and Gujrat districts.
Why the Sialkot-Kharian Motorway delay matters
The project’s timeline has changed considerably. A National Assembly reply recorded an initial construction period of two years, from 2022 to 2024, and a revised period of 2026 to 2028. The reply also cited changes to the scope, including expanding the plan from four lanes to six, higher construction-material prices and rising financing costs. It said land acquisition and coordination with district administrations remained relevant to resuming work across the route.
The National Assembly has separately reported June 2028 as the expected completion date. Meanwhile, SKIM lists March 2028 in its concession agreement, while FWO’s project page lists August 2028. These dates differ, so the latest government statement’s broader “in 2028” target is the clearest current public timeline.
The latest progress update also points to a gap between the schedule and the work completed: officials reported that just over one-fifth of construction was complete in late October. The minister has directed the National Highway Authority to speed up work and resolve outstanding issues linked to the related Kharian-Rawalpindi motorway.
Route and project context
The motorway is being developed through a public-private partnership, with the National Highway Authority as the client and FWO as the sponsor and contractor, according to SKIM. The wider route is intended to extend connectivity beyond Sambrial towards Kharian and the N-5. However, the project’s completion date does not itself confirm when the motorway will open to traffic.
For now, the key update is that the project remains under construction, with 21% progress reported and a 2028 target. The government’s instruction to finish six months early is an acceleration goal; officials have not published a replacement date that resolves the different March, June and August estimates.
Sources
- Press Information Department, October 28, 2026 — 21% progress and the instruction to complete six months ahead of the 2028 target.
- National Assembly reply, 27th Session — revised 2026–2028 period, scope and cost factors, and land-acquisition details.
- National Assembly reply, 26th Session — expected completion by June 2028.
- SKIM project details — route, six-lane design, concession-agreement date of March 2028, and project parties.
- FWO project page — project description and listed August 2028 completion.
- Pakistan Public Private Partnership Authority — project’s PPP and BOT framework.