Pakistan, International Road Assessment Program sign landmark agreement

Pakistan, International Road Assessment Program sign landmark agreement that will help focus on road evaluation in the country.

A formal agreement has been signed to establish the International Road Assessment Program’s (iRAP) presence in Pakistan. This initiative will focus on planning, feasibility studies, and evaluation of road infrastructure, significantly enhancing Pakistan’s transportation system.

The agreement was signed between Greg Smith, Country Director of iRAP, and Federal Minister for Communications, Privatization, and Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan during the three-day Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Morocco.

Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan welcomed this development, emphasizing that Pakistan is embracing innovation, particularly in the communications sector. He highlighted that the country’s motorways, the Karakoram Highway, and other highways are built to international standards, with ongoing initiatives to further upgrade road networks, reduce accidents, and enhance travel convenience.

He also noted a positive trend in road safety, as despite increasing traffic on national highways over the past year, accidents, injuries, and fatalities have significantly decreased, as mentioned in the press release.

Expressing optimism, the minister stated that iRAP’s involvement would bring sustainable improvements to Pakistan’s transport infrastructure. In response, Greg Smith commended the minister’s vision and assured full technical and logistical support from his organization.

Additionally, UN Executive Secretary for the European Commission Tatiana Molcean and UN Secretary-General’s Representative Jan Todt met with Minister Abdul Aleem Khan in Morocco to discuss Pakistan’s current road infrastructure and future projects.

During the 4th Global Ministerial Conference in Morocco, Minister Abdul Aleem Khan also held separate meetings with his counterparts from the Maldives, Oman, Palestine, and Bangladesh. They discussed mutual interests and avenues for bilateral cooperation.

Palestinian Transport Minister Tariq Zourob, Oman’s Deputy Minister Brigadier General Ali Al-Falahi, Bangladesh’s Minister of Industry and Production Adil-ur-Rehman, and Maldives’ Minister of Transport M. Ameen also met with Minister Abdul Aleem Khan to exchange views on the conference’s key discussions.

The participating ministers expressed their appreciation for the valuable insights gained during the conference, stating that they would return with enriching experiences and new strategies for road safety improvements.