Pakistani PM inaugurates five tunnels on key Karakoram Highway

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday inaugurated five tunnels on the key Karakoram Highway that connects the country with China.

The tunnels were rebuilt by the China Road and Bridge Corporation to restore parts of the road that were submerged due to land sliding in 2010.

The five 7-kilometer-long tunnels are part of 24-kilometer-long portion of the reconstructed highway, officials said at a briefing at the site in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The project will facilitate thousands of commuters of the area.

The Karakoram Highway will play a significant role in the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor, the prime minister said.

"Both the Chinese and Pakistani governments are working hard for early completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. Under this project, works on some power projects has already been started," the prime minister said at the inaugural ceremony.

Sharif expressed satisfaction that hundreds of thousands of tourists visited the northern areas of Pakistan this year.

"This trend is encouraging, as it will encourage the foreign tourists to visit the beautiful land of Pakistan."

The prime minister assured that security force will be deployed on the Karakorum Highway for the safety of commuters and traders.

He said the government has allocated 27 billion rupees (about 258.8 million U.S. dollars) for the development of the highway, adding that all possible resources will be provided for the completion of development projects in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The prime minister told ministers and members of Gilgit- Baltistan Legislative Assembly in Gilgit that the completion of development projects will change the destiny of the people of the area. Endi