Peshawar has received a major infrastructure boost as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government inaugurated a key segment of the Peshawar Ring Road, completing a missing link in the northern section.
The project was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, who opened Package One of the Northern Section. The newly completed stretch spans 2.1 kilometres and has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 2 billion.
Officials confirmed that work on the remaining sections of the ring road is progressing steadily. Meanwhile, the feasibility study for a proposed Outer Ring Road project is also nearing completion, signaling further expansion plans for the city’s transport network.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chief minister highlighted the broader Peshawar Revitalisation Plan, a Rs. 200 billion initiative aimed at modernizing urban infrastructure and improving public facilities. He noted that projects worth Rs. 171 billion have already been approved under the plan.
He added that the provincial government has already delivered several major projects, including the Bus Rapid Transit Peshawar, and is continuing efforts to enhance infrastructure across the provincial capital.
Addressing criticism, Afridi dismissed allegations of corruption in development projects and stated that any evidence should be brought forward for action.
The chief minister also raised concerns regarding federal financial distribution, arguing that the province is not receiving its fair share under the National Finance Commission Award. He suggested that a revision of the formula could increase the province’s share from 14.6% to 19%.
He further noted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces around 400 MMCFD of gas daily, of which approximately 150 MMCFD is consumed locally, while the rest is supplied to other parts of the country despite constitutional provisions related to resource rights.
