Islamabad | ReNews National Desk

The National Highway Authority (NHA), the Privatisation Commission and the Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A) have begun evaluating private investment opportunities for four proposed motorway and expressway projects across Pakistan. The proposals include the Mansehra–Naran–Jalkhad–Chilas Motorway, a possible extension of the Murree Expressway towards Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), a 169-kilometre section of the M-10 Motorway and the proposed Guru Nanak Expressway.

The projects were discussed at a high-level meeting held in Islamabad on October 21, 2026, jointly chaired by Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali. Officials examined the financial feasibility, commercial prospects and potential private sector participation in the proposed road developments. The government is considering the public-private partnership (PPP) model to reduce dependence on federal development funding. Among the projects under review is a 169-kilometre section of the M-10 Motorway proposed for development through private sector participation. However, the detailed financing arrangement and commercial structure have not been announced.

The proposed Mansehra–Naran–Jalkhad–Chilas Motorway was also discussed as a potential road connection towards Chilas and the Chinese border. The route could improve connectivity to northern Pakistan and the Karakoram Highway corridor while potentially reducing pressure on existing roads during peak tourism periods. However, construction through mountainous terrain would require extensive technical assessments. The final alignment, land acquisition requirements, construction costs and financing arrangements remain to be determined.

Another proposal involves extending the Murree Expressway towards Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Officials believe improved road connectivity could support tourism, trade and travel between the Islamabad–Rawalpindi region and adjoining areas of AJK.

No final route alignment or construction commencement date has been announced for the proposed extension.The Guru Nanak Expressway was discussed as a potential infrastructure project aimed at facilitating Sikh religious tourism. The government is examining opportunities for private investment, although no investor or construction contract has been confirmed. Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan directed NHA officials to prepare formal business plans and identify commercially viable projects suitable for private investment.

Referring to the Sialkot–Kharian Motorway (M-12), which is being developed under a PPP arrangement, the minister said the government wanted to strengthen NHA's financial independence and reduce its reliance on the federal Public Sector Development Programme. He outlined a vision to transform NHA into a financially self-sustaining entity valued between Rs 500 billion and Rs 1 trillion. Adviser to the Prime Minister Muhammad Ali assured support from the Privatisation Commission and P3A in evaluating the proposed infrastructure investments and facilitating private sector participation. The meeting agreed to complete preliminary technical work and hold a follow-up session within one week to review progress.However, the four projects remain under preliminary technical and financial evaluation. No final investment agreements, construction contracts, toll rates, project costs or completion dates have been announced.

Lahore | ReNews National Desk

The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has signed a Rs 133.18 billion contract with the PowerChina–IKAN joint venture for hydro-mechanical works at the Diamer-Basha Dam Project. The agreement, signed on October 24, 2026, at WAPDA House in Lahore, covers the HM-1 package, which includes equipment and steel structures required to regulate water flows through the dam and its associated facilities.

Diamer-Basha Dam Chief Engineer and Project Director Arif Ali signed the agreement on behalf of WAPDA, while Ling Jianke represented the PowerChina–IKAN joint venture. Under the contract, the joint venture will manufacture, supply and install hydro-mechanical equipment, including water-control gates, hydraulic steel structures, steel lining, hoisting systems, pumping systems and associated electrical equipment.

According to WAPDA, the equipment will be installed at flushing tunnels on both banks of the dam, power intakes and outlets. These components will regulate water movement and support the operational systems of the project.

The signing ceremony was attended by WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed (Retd), members responsible for finance, water and power, the chief executive officer of Diamer Basha Development Company, representatives of project consultants and a delegation led by the chairman of PowerChina International Group Limited. The Diamer-Basha Dam is under construction across the River Indus, approximately 40 kilometres downstream of Chilas. According to WAPDA, the dam will have a gross water-storage capacity of 8.1 million acre-feet and an installed electricity-generation capacity of 4,500 megawatts upon completion. The authority describes the project as a federal priority intended to strengthen Pakistan's water, food and energy security.

The HM-1 agreement places a major package of hydro-mechanical works under a confirmed contract, covering the manufacture, delivery and installation of equipment essential to the dam's operations. However, the signing does not establish a revised completion date for the overall project or confirm when electricity generation will begin. The contract represents a defined stage in the project's implementation, with equipment installation requiring coordination with the dam's ongoing civil construction works.

Lahore | ReNews National Desk

The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has intensified its enforcement campaign against smog and air pollution across the province, with Lahore recording an approximately 11 percent decline in its average Air Quality Index (AQI) during the first 28 days of October 2026 compared with the corresponding period last year.According to official EPA figures, Lahore's average AQI stood at 181 between October 1 and 28, 2026, compared with 202 during the same period in 2025.

Despite the improvement, air pollution in the provincial capital remains a serious concern as the city enters the seasonal smog period.The data shows that environmental inspections across Punjab increased to 26,494 during the first 28 days of October, compared with 22,388 inspections during the corresponding period last year, representing an increase of approximately 18 percent.

Financial penalties imposed for violations of environmental regulations rose from Rs 54.3 million to Rs 67.9 million, an increase of approximately 25 percent.

Enforcement action also resulted in the sealing of 719 premises during the reporting period, compared with 452 in the corresponding period of 2025, representing an increase of approximately 59 percent.However, the number of First Information Reports (FIRs) registered for environmental violations declined from 462 to 178.

The contrasting trends in inspections, financial penalties, sealing operations and criminal cases indicate a change in the pattern of enforcement measures.

However, the available figures do not explain the reasons for the reduction in FIR registrations or provide details about the types of legal action taken against violators.According to the reported figures, environmental fines imposed across Punjab during the first ten months of 2026 totalled Rs 382 million.

Although Lahore recorded an improvement in its average AQI compared with the previous year, air pollution remains a significant environmental and public health concern.The figures indicate an increase in regulatory inspections and enforcement action across Punjab. However, further evidence would be required to determine the extent to which these measures contributed directly to the improvement in Lahore's air quality.

Lahore | ReNews National Desk

The Punjab government has prepared comprehensive reforms to strengthen electrical safety standards across the province, proposing annual inspections of electricity connections at more than 73,000 industrial, commercial and public buildings to prevent fires, short circuits and electrocution incidents.

The proposed Punjab Electrical Safety (Periodic Inspection and Licensing) Order 2026 aims to identify electrical hazards before accidents occur and ensure the timely correction of unsafe electrical installations.Under the proposed framework, the government plans to expand the existing inspection system from approximately 21,125 locations to more than 73,000 locations across Punjab.

For industrial buildings, the approved electricity load threshold for mandatory inspections would be reduced from 100 kilowatts to connections exceeding 50 kilowatts. Commercial and public buildings with approved loads exceeding 25 kilowatts would also be brought within the inspection framework.

Hospitals, schools, cinemas, hotels, high-rise buildings, commercial plazas and other designated premises would be subject to electrical safety inspections regardless of their approved electricity load.The proposed reforms also include stricter supervision of electrical contractors, mandatory availability of 14 modern electrical testing instruments for licensing and the introduction of a digital verification system for electrical safety certificates.According to the figures provided, Punjab recorded 41,975 fire incidents caused by electrical short circuits between January 2023 and September 2026. During the same period, 48,337 cases involving electric shocks were also reported across the province.

The planned regulatory changes are intended to improve electrical safety compliance in industrial facilities, commercial developments and buildings used by the public through periodic inspections and the early identification of potentially hazardous installations.The proposed inspection regime would also broaden regulatory oversight of electrical installations in the province's building and construction sectors.However, the reforms remain at the proposal stage, and a final implementation date has not been announced.