Transport in Pakistan

Transport in Pakistan (Urdu: پاکِستان میں نقل و حمل) is extensive and varied. In recent years, new national highways have been built, along with motorways, which have made trade and travel much easier inside the country. The rail network is also growing, helping people and goods move across different areas. Many airports and seaports have been constructed, supported by both foreign and local money. However, Pakistan faces challenges in transportation because of planning problems, weak management, and unfair practices.

History

The history of transport in modern-day Pakistan goes back thousands of years, to the time of the Indus Valley civilization.

An important road called the Grand Trunk Road was built by Sher Shah Suri in the 16th century. It was used by many people over time, and had trees, mosques, temples, and special places called caravanserais where travelers could rest for the night.

During the time of the British Raj, railways and airways were created. The first railways in Pakistan started in 1885.

Road

Main article: Roads in Pakistan

Pakistan has many roads for people to travel. In total, there are 263,775 kilometers of roads. Some of these roads are paved, and others are not. There are also many vehicles on the roads.

Motorways

Main article: Motorways of Pakistan

Building motorways started in the early 1990s to create better roads and reduce traffic on busy highways. The first motorway, called M-2, was finished in 1998 and connects Islamabad and Lahore. Since then, many new motorways have opened, such as M-1 and M-4. These motorways help people travel between cities more easily.

National Highways

Main article: National Highways of Pakistan

In the 1990s, Pakistan started rebuilding its national highways to improve travel to important places like cities and centers for trade. The National Highway Authority takes care of maintaining these highways.

• The Makran Coastal Highway goes along the coast and connects Karachi and Gwadar.
• The Karakoram Highway is one of the highest roads in the world and connects China and Pakistan.
• The Grand Trunk Road is an old road that has linked parts of South Asia for many years.
• The Silk Road is a network of trade routes that passes through Pakistan.

Expressways

Main article: Expressways of Pakistan

Provincial Highways

• Provincial Highways of Pakistan administered Kashmir.
• Provincial Highways of Balochistan
• Provincial Highways of Gilgit-Baltistan
• Provincial Highways of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Provincial Highways of Punjab
• Provincial Highways of Sindh

Flyovers and Underpasses

Many flyovers and underpasses are in big cities to help control traffic. Karachi has the most, followed by Lahore. Other cities with these structures include Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Quetta, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Rahim Yar Khan, and Sahiwal. The Beijing Underpass in Lahore is the longest underpass in Pakistan, and the Muslim Town Flyover in Lahore is the longest flyover.

Buses

Buses are important for travel within cities and between cities. There are both public and private bus services. Recently, clean natural gas buses have been added to cities like Karachi and Lahore to help reduce traffic and pollution.

Taxis

Yellow taxis are common at hotels and airports. Drivers use meters to decide the fare, but sometimes fares can be agreed upon before the ride. There are also private car and minibus services. A new radio cab service was started in several cities, and in 2025, Punjab began a plan to use electric taxis to help the environment.

Cars

The number of cars on roads in Pakistan has grown a lot. Traffic jams are common in big cities. Popular cars include models from Suzuki, Honda, Toyota, and Kia. Some people also drive luxury cars like Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz.

Auto rickshaws

Auto rickshaws are a popular way to travel in cities. They are being replaced with cleaner natural gas versions to reduce pollution. A new type of vehicle called the Qing-Qi, which is like a three-wheeled motorcycle, is also used for short trips.

Motorcycling and ride-hailing

Motorcycles are a quick way to get around in areas where cars can’t go. There are also companies that offer motorcycle ride-hailing services in cities like Karachi and Lahore. Other ride-hailing services like Uber and Careem are also available.

Metro

Main article: List of rapid transit systems in Pakistan

Train

The Orange Line Metro Train is a fast train system in Lahore. It is the first of three planned train lines for the city. The line is 27.1 km long, with most of it above ground and a small part below ground. It has 26 stations and can carry over 250,000 people each day.

Bus

Lahore Metrobus is a quick bus service in Lahore. It started in February 2013.

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus is an 83.6 km bus service between Islamabad and Rawalpindi. It began in June 2015 and runs from Pak Secretariat in Islamabad to Saddar in Rawalpindi.

Multan Metrobus is a bus service in Multan that started in January 2017.

Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit is a bus service in Peshawar that started in August 2020.

Green Line Metrobus is a bus service in Karachi that started in December 2021.

Faisalabad has plans for a shuttle train and a bus service as part of a big project with China–Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Tram

A tram service started in Karachi in 1884 but stopped in 1975. The Sindh Government plans to start it again with help from Austrian experts.

In October 2019, Punjab Government signed a plan to start a tram service in Lahore. This will be a partnership between European and Chinese companies and the Punjab transport department.

Monorail

The Government of Pakistan is planning to start a Monorail system in Islamabad.

Rail

Main articles: List of railway stations in Pakistan and List of railway lines in Pakistan

Rail services in Pakistan are run by Pakistan Railways, which helps move many people and goods. The railway network covers a long distance and includes both passenger and freight services. It carries millions of passengers each year and moves many important goods like wheat, coal, and sugar.

Plans are in place to build a high-speed rail network connecting major cities from Peshawar to Karachi. There are also ideas to connect Pakistan’s rail network with nearby countries like Iran, Afghanistan, and China, though some of these links are still being discussed.

In Ghangha Pur, there is a small, old-fashioned tramway that runs on tracks pulled by horses. It opened long ago, closed for a while, and then started running again in 2010.

Air

Main articles: Airlines of Pakistan and List of airports in Pakistan

Pakistan has many places where airplanes can land and take off. There are 151 airports in total. Some of the biggest ones are in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and other cities.

The main airline in Pakistan is Pakistan International Airlines, which flies to many places inside and outside the country. There are also other airlines, like Airblue, Serene Air, fly Jinnah, and Air Sial, each with their own planes.

Water

The Port of Karachi is one of the largest and busiest ports in South Asia, handling much of the country's cargo. Another important port is Port Qasim in Karachi, which also handles a lot of goods.

Pakistan's waterways are just starting to develop. Karachi is the main city near the Arabian Sea. There are plans to use the Indus River and other areas to create new waterways, which could help create jobs and improve the country's economy.

Ferries

There are ferry services between Kimari and Minora Island in Karachi. Karachi once had a ferry service to Mumbai in India, but it stopped in the 1960s. There were also plans for a cruise service between Karachi and Dubai, but it did not continue. Recently, Pakistan announced plans to start new ferry services from Karachi and Gwadar to connect with Iran, Oman, UAE, and Iraq.

Pipelines

Pakistan has pipelines that carry different types of fuels. There are about 2,011 kilometers of pipelines for crude oil, 787 kilometers for petroleum products, and 10,402 kilometers for natural gas. These numbers were calculated in 2009.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a big development project that is still being built. It will connect Gwadar Port in southern Pakistan to Xinjiang in China. This will be done using highways, railways, and pipelines to move oil and gas.

Many important leaders, like Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping, former Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, and Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, support this project. Once it is finished, it will help China trade more easily with the Middle East and Africa. Oil from the Middle East could be brought to Gwadar and then sent to China through Baluchistan.

In February 2013, control of Gwadar Port was given to a Chinese company. Gwadar was built by Chinese workers and opened in 2007. It is now being made bigger to become a major port. In February 2014, Pakistan and China agreed to build an international airport at Gwadar, improve a road connecting to Islamabad, and lay a fibre-optic cable to Rawalpindi. This project will help Central Asia connect better to the world. The project has brought some challenges for Pakistan, but both countries are working together to move it forward.