->Amigao: clean up, typo(s) fixed: Executive Committee → executive committee (2)

2021-12-31T23:45:31Z

clean up, typo(s) fixed: Executive Committee → executive committee (2)

New page

{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox road
|country=PAK
|type=
|route=
|name= Western Alignment of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor
|map= CPEC Western Alignment.png
|map_notes= The Western Alignment of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor is depicted by the red line.
|length_km=1153
|length_round=
|length_ref=
|established=
|direction_a=North
|terminus_a=Brahma Bahtar Interchange near [[Hasan Abdal]], [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab province]]
|junction=
|direction_b=South
|terminus_b=[[Gwadar Port]]
|previous_type=
|previous_route=
|next_type=
|next_route=
}}

The '''Western Alignment''' refers to the portions of the [[China–Pakistan Economic Corridor]] (CPEC) which are located in the [[Pakistani]] provinces of northwestern [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]].

The CPEC project envisages an expanded and upgraded road network in the aforementioned provinces, and will result in the upgrading or construction of {{Convert|1153|km|mi}} worth of road into two- and four-lane divided highways by mid-2018 along the Western Alignment,<ref>{{convert|280|km|mi}} as part of the [[Brahma Bahtar-Yarik Motorway]], {{convert|205|km|mi}} as part of N50 upgrades, {{convert|470|km|mi}} of upgrades to N25, and {{convert|193|km|mi}} of the M8 motorway</ref> with land acquisition sufficient for upgrading parts of the road to a six-lane motorway in the future.<ref name="The News Pakistan">{{cite news|title=KP remained part of CPEC Western Route meetings at federal level|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/89984-KP-remained-part-of-CPEC-Western-Route-meetings-at-federal-level|access-date=16 January 2016|work=The News |location=Pakistan|date=13 January 2016}}</ref>

==Route description==

===Hakla–Dera Ismail Khan Motorway===
{{Main|Hakla–Dera Ismail Khan Motorway}}
The Western Alignment roadway network will begin at the Brahma Bahtar Interchange on the [[M1 motorway (Pakistan)|M1 Motorway]] near the towns of [[Burhan, Pakistan|Burhan]] and [[Hasan Abdal]] in northern Punjab province.<ref>{{cite news|title=PM Inaugurates Western Alignment of CPEC|url=http://dailyfrontierstar.com/%EF%BB%BFpm-inaugurates-western-alignment-of-cpec/|access-date=2 February 2016|work=Daily Frontier Star|date=31 December 2015}}</ref> The newly reconstructed [[Karakoram Highway]] will connect to the Western Alignment at Burhan, near where the new {{convert|285|mi|mi|adj=mid|-long}} controlled-access [[Brahma Bahtar-Yarik Motorway]] will commence.<ref name="Daily Times">{{cite news|title=China to finance 90% of Sukkur-Multan Motorway|url=http://dailytimes.com.pk/pakistan/12-May-16/china-to-finance-90-of-sukkur-multan-motorway|access-date=13 May 2016|work=Daily Times|date=12 May 2016}}</ref> The motorway will terminate near the town of [[Yarik]], just north of [[Dera Ismail Khan]].<ref name="CPEC38">{{cite web|title=China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Western Route: New Four Lane Highway Facility from Barahma Bahtar to D. I. Khan as Part of Western Route of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 285 km Approx., Packages: I to V.|url=http://downloads.nha.gov.pk/nhadocs/pq-document-of-barhma-bahtr--to-di-khan.pdf|publisher=National Highway Authority|access-date=2 February 2016|pages=38}}</ref> The route will traverse the [[Sindh Sagar Doab]] region, and cross the Indus River at [[Mianwali]] before entering into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It will consist of 11 interchanges, 74 culverts, and three major bridges spanning the [[Indus River|Indus]], [[Swan River (Islamabad)|Soan]], and [[Kurram River|Kurram]] rivers.<ref name="The News">{{cite news|last1=Haider|first1=Mehtab|title=Ecnec approves motorway from Burhan/Hakla to DI Khan|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/114865-Ecnec-approves-motorway-from-BurhanHakla-to-DI-Khan|access-date=4 May 2016|work=The News|date=24 April 2016}}</ref> It will have reserved [[right-of-way (transportation)|rights-of-way]] flanking either side of the motorway to allow for widening of the road to a six-lane motorway in the future.<ref name="Daily Times"/> Total costs for the project are expected to be $1.05 billion.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nawaz to open Gwadar-Turbat Highway project today|url=http://www.brecorder.com/market-data/stocks-a-bonds/0/12842/|access-date=3 February 2016|work=Business Recorder|date=3 February 2016|quote=110 billion Pakistani Rupees = US$1.05 billion as of Feb 3 2016}}</ref> Pakistan's executive committee of the National Economic Council approved construction of this section of roadway in April 2016,<ref name="The News"/> while groundbreaking took place in May 2016.<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/120599-PM-Nawaz-performs-groundbreaking-of-Motorway-in-DI-Khan</ref> Construction is expected to be completed within 36 months.<ref name="CPEC38"/>

===Upgrades to National Highway 50===
At the southern terminus of the new Burhan–Yarik motorway, the [[N-50 National Highway|N50 National Highway]] will also be upgraded between Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and [[Zhob]] in neighbouring Balochistan province, with eventual reconstruction between Zhob and Quetta.<ref name="parliamentarybody">{{cite news|title=Parliamentary Body Monitoring Progress of CPEC|url=http://www.brecorder.com/pakistan/politics-a-policy/271939-parliamentary-body-monitoring-progress-of-cpec.html|access-date=16 January 2016|work=Business Recorder|date=9 January 2016}}</ref> The upgraded roadway will consist of a four-lane dual-carriageway spanning the {{convert|205|km|mi|adj=on}} distance between the two cities.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nawaz to open Gwadar-Turbat Highway project today|url=http://www.brecorder.com/market-data/stocks-a-bonds/0/12842/|access-date=3 February 2016|work=Business Recorder|date=3 February 2016}}</ref> The first portion of the N50 to be upgraded will be the {{convert|81|km|mi|adj=on}} portion of the N50 between Zhob and Mughal Kot, with construction works having begun in January 2016.<ref name="dawn.com">{{cite news|title=PM inaugurates western route of CPEC in Zhob|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1229616|access-date=3 February 2016|work=Dawn|date=6 January 2016}}</ref> Construction on this portion is expected to be completed by 2018 at a cost of $86 million,<ref name="parliamentarybody"/> While the project is consider a vital link in the CPEC's Western Alignment,<ref name="dawn.com"/> the project's cost will not be financed by Chinese state-owned banks, but will instead be financed by the Asian Development Bank under a 2014 agreement which preceded CPEC,<ref>{{cite news|title=ADB approves $197million for Balochistan road project|url=http://nation.com.pk/national/06-Jul-2014/adb-approves-197m-for-balochistan-road-project|access-date=5 February 2016|work=The Nation|location=Pakistan|date=6 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="Asian Development Bank">{{cite news|title=ADB Provides $197 Million to Develop Highway in Balochistan|url=http://www.adb.org/news/adb-provides-197-million-develop-highway-balochistan|access-date=5 February 2016|publisher=Asian Development Bank|date=12 May 2015}}</ref> as well as by a grant provided by the United Kingdom's [[Department for International Development]].<ref>{{cite news|title=ADB to provide $72m for highways in Balochistan|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1233079/adb-to-provide-72m-for-highways-in-balochistan|access-date=5 February 2016|work=Dawn|date=15 January 2016}}</ref>

===Upgrades to National Highway 25===
Heading south from Quetta, the Western Alignment of the CPEC will continue to the town of [[Surab, Pakistan|Surab]] in central Balochistan as the [[N-25 National Highway|N25 National Highway]]. From Surab, a {{convert|470|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} route known as the [[N-85 National Highway|N85 National Highway]] will connect central Balochistan with the town of Hoshab in southwestern Balochistan province near the city of [[Turbat]]. This portion of roadway between Surab and Hoshab is 51% complete as of January 2016,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.brecorder.com/top-news/pakistan/272543-balochistan-to-be-connected-through-highways-under-cpec.html|access-date=29 January 2016|work=Business Recorder|date=12 January 2016}}</ref> and is expected to be completed in December 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=PM inaugurates CPEC's western route in Zhob|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1018615/pm-inaugurates-cpecs-western-route-in-zhob/|access-date=29 January 2016|work=Tribune Pakistan|date=30 December 2015}}</ref>

===Construction of the M8 motorway===
The towns of Hoshab and Gwadar are connected by a newly built {{convert|193|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} portion of the [[M8 motorway (Pakistan)|M8 Motorway]]—the Hoshab to Gwadar portion of the motorway was completed and inaugurated in February 2016 by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at a cost of approximately $124 million<ref>{{cite news|title=PM INAUGURATES 193 KM LONG GWADAR-HOSHAB M-8|url=http://www.brecorder.com/top-news/pakistan/276827-pm-inaugurates-193-km-long-gwadar-hoshab-m-8.html|access-date=3 February 2016|work=Business Recorder}}</ref><ref>13 billion PKR = US$124,099,430.00 as of May 2016</ref>

==Special economic zones==

The Western Alignment will be flanked by special economic zones along its route,<ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistan to build CPEC western route by middle of 2018|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/pakistan-to-build-cpec-western-route-by-middle-of-2018/articleshow/50595012.cms|access-date=16 January 2016|work=Economic Times |location=India|date=15 January 2015}}</ref> with at least seven special economic zones planned to be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<ref name="The News Pakistan"/>

==Construction==
In total, the CPEC project envisages re-construction of {{convert|870|km|mi}} of road in Balochistan province alone as part of the Western Alignment. Of those {{convert|870|km|mi}} of road, {{convert|620|km|mi}} have already been rebuilt as of January 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=COAS Assures Balochistan People Will Prosper With Upcoming Projects|url=http://www.geo.tv/latest/8967-COAS-assures-Balochistan-people-will-prosper-with-upcoming-projects#sthash.ZDluSmfK.dpuf|access-date=26 January 2016|publisher=Geo News|date=1 January 2016}}</ref>

Pakistan's executive committee of the National Economic Council approved construction of the [[Brahma Bahtar-Yarik Motorway]] in April 2016,<ref name="The News"/> and construction is expected to be completed within 36 months.<ref name="CPEC38"/>

==Financing==

As part of the CPEC project, the Western Alignment is part of a package of approximately $11 billion worth of infrastructure projects throughout the country that are being developed by the Pakistani government. These projects will be financed by concessionary loans, with composite interest rates of 1.6%,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Butt|first1=Naveed|title=Economic Corridor: China to Extend Assistance at 1.6 Percent Interest Rate|url=http://www.brecorder.com/market-data/stocks-a-bonds/0/1223449/|access-date=16 December 2015|work=Business Recorder|date=3 September 2015}}</ref> after Pakistan successfully lobbied the Chinese government to reduce interest rates from an initial 3%.<ref name="Geo TV News">{{cite news|last1=Haider|first1=Mehtab|title=China converts $230m loan for Gwadar airport into grant|url=http://www.geo.tv/article-198450-China-converts-230m-loan-for-Gwadar-airport-into-grant|access-date=16 December 2015|publisher=Geo TV News|date=23 September 2015}}</ref> The loans are subsidised by the government of China, and are to be dispersed by the [[Exim Bank of China]] and the [[China Development Bank]]. For comparison, loans for previous Pakistani infrastructure projects financed by the [[World Bank]] carried an interest rate between 5% and 8.5%,<ref>https://finances.worldbank.org/Loan-and-Credit-Administration/IBRD-Statement-of-Loans-Latest-Available-Snapshot/sfv5-tf7p?</ref> while interest rates on market loans approach 12%.<ref>http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/FR.INR.LEND</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{China–Pakistan Economic Corridor}}
{{One Belt, One Road}}
{{China–Pakistan relations}}

[[Category:Lists of roads in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Roads in Pakistan]]
[[Category:China–Pakistan Economic Corridor]]
[[Category:Chinese economic policy]]
[[Category:Economic development in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Infrastructure investment]]
[[Category:Investment in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Nawaz Sharif administration]]
[[Category:Proposed infrastructure in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Trade routes]]

Western Alignment - Revision history

->Amigao: clean up, typo(s) fixed: Executive Committee → executive committee (2)