ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance Muhammad Ishaq Dar said on Friday that the government was attaching top priority to the development of motorway and highways network and has allocated Rs320 billion for this sector in the coming fiscal year's budget while in the outgoing fiscal year Rs188 billion were earmarked for the communication sector.

Delivering his budget 2017-18 speech in the National Assembly, he said that by 2013-14, only Rs51 billion were allocated for this sector.

He said that Pakistan due to its strategic location enjoyed the unique capacity to provide a link to the countries of the region.

He said for taking advantage of this gifted position the government has been investing in this sector.

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Giving details of some major communications sectors projects, he said that for 230 km Lahore-Abdul Hakim section of the Motorway Rs48 billion have been allocated in the coming budget while for Multan-Sukker Motorway Rs35 billion have been earmarked.

Dar said that for Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway Rs2.5 billion have been set aside which is being built on BOT basis while Karachi-Hyderabad motorway, also a BOT basis has been partially opened for traffic.

The finance minister said that Rs38 billion have been earmarked for Hakla-D I Khan Motorway whereas for Faisalabad-Khanewal Motorway Rs10 billion have been allocated.

For Burhan-Havelian Expressway Rs3 billion and for Thakot-Havelian section Rs26 billion have been allocated.

He said that for D I Khan-Mughalkot-Zhob Highway Rs2.7 billion have been earmarked while for Hoshab-Surab highway and Gwadar-Hoshab section Rs2.5 billion have been allocated.