The Government of Pakistan has issued a directive to the Sindh Planning & Development Department to fast-track the development of the Malir Expressway project, with the authority ordered to start construction by July 2019. 

The PKR40 billion (US$286.3 million) project involves the development of a 40.4km three-by-three lane expressway with controlled access along the Malir River starting from Qayyumabad Bridge and ending at the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) near Kathore via the existing Link Road.

The government is currently in the process of contracting a private partner for the project. A Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued in February this year, to which seven companies and consortia submitted technical proposals. A second stage RFP is due to be issued this month.

The government will finance 30% of the project while another 30% will be sourced from the selected private partner. The remaining 40% will be loaned from banks.