Pakistan Builds South Asia’s Longest 12.5 km River Bridge in Sindh
Pakistan is constructing what will become South Asia’s longest river bridge — the 12.5-kilometer Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge — in Sindh province. Set to be completed by 2028 at an estimated cost of Rs 30.5 billion, the project has been moving forward steadily for the past two years, according to Sindh’s Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Investment and Public-Private Partnership, Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar.
“This bridge will transform connectivity not only across Pakistan but also for the entire South Asian region,” Qamar remarked during a meeting with business leaders on Thursday.
Once operational, the bridge will dramatically cut river crossing times from 2.5 hours to just 15 minutes. Strategically linking Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan, it is expected to strengthen economic ties, boost trade, and improve security in the underdeveloped katcha areas, which have long faced challenges related to crime and kidnappings.
While Ghotki has benefited from industrial expansion and better highway links, Kandhkot has lagged behind. “This project will create job opportunities and uplift livelihoods in Kandhkot,” Qamar said.
At the meeting, Qamar’s team presented a portfolio of around a dozen development projects — covering special economic zones, roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals — with a combined value of over Rs 616 billion, aiming to attract private sector investment under public-private partnership models.
Notable figures attending the session included National Assembly member Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Karachi Chamber of Commerce leader Zubair Motiwala, industrialist Arif Habib, as well as Arif Elahi, Danish Khan, Junaid Naqi, Zahid Saeed, Sameer Chinoy, and Danish Elahi.