Karachi – The dispute between the Sindh government and the National Highway Authority (NHA) over land acquisition for the M-9 Super Highway has intensified.

NHA has refused to pay for the required land, while the Sindh government has denied transferring it without compensation. The conflict prompted NHA to approach the Sindh High Court, which ordered the formation of a committee to resolve the matter.

Under the chairmanship of Sindh’s Chief Secretary, the committee recommended that NHA should pay for the land. Following this, the NHA chairman wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary requesting land transfer.

The M-9 Super Highway expansion project, which aims to upgrade the road from a four-lane to a six-lane motorway, is in its final stages, with an extension agreement being processed with a Malaysian company.

Back in 2012, the Sindh government had made land allotment conditional upon payment. However, according to official reports, NHA lacks sufficient funds to cover the costs.

For the project, 1,347 acres in Malir, 4,954 acres in Jamshoro, and 1,340 acres in Thatta are required. A land record report shows the highway’s width as 264 feet, whereas NHA has proposed increasing it to 640 feet.

Documents further reveal that while the Super Highway stretches 152 kilometers, NHA has applied for land covering only 136 kilometers, excluding Karachi East district.

In 2017, the Sindh government revoked the allotment decision. The Sindh High Court has now directed that the land dispute be resolved within 30 days and ordered a joint survey of the disputed area, with a detailed report to be submitted.