STORY: Sukkur-Multan Motorway under CPEC enhances connectivity in Pakistan
DATELINE: Oct. 17, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:46
LOCATION: Islamabad
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Sukkur-Multan Motorway
2. STANDUP (English): ALI JASWAL, Xinhua reporter
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Urdu): RAHEEL, Resident of Multan, Pakistan
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Urdu/English): ATHAR ZIA, Resident of Karachi, Pakistan
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Urdu): RIZWANA ATHAR, Resident of Karachi, Pakistan
6. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): KASHIF NAWAZ, Project Director of Sukkur-Multan Motorway

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): ALI JASWAL, Xinhua reporter
"At the moment, I am present on Multan-Sukkur Motorway, (also known as) M-5, an important transportation project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework. This state-of-the-art BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) project has a significant role in terms of enhancing connectivity in the country. It is 392 km long and it goes along the eastern bank of River Indus. It connects the southern (part of eastern) Punjab province to the Sukkur city in the center of Pakistan's southern Sindh province. It has significantly reduced the distance and the time for travelers."

SOUNDBITE 1 (Urdu): RAHEEL, Resident of Multan, Pakistan
"Before the motorway was completed, it used to be very difficult because we had to travel through the highway and it was full of damaged patches. We used to face a lot of difficulties. The construction of the motorway has made things a lot easier for us."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Urdu/English): ATHAR ZIA, Resident of Karachi, Pakistan
"I have traveled across many parts of the world. I have seen so many motorways, traveled on many motorways in East Germany, West Germany, United Kingdom. Multan-Sukkur motorway is no doubt very good. The road quality, no doubt, is excellent. It's not good, but excellent."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Urdu): RIZWANA ATHAR, Resident of Karachi, Pakistan
"With this motorway, the car mileage has improved, our safety has been ensured, and also we can enjoy a beautiful view along the road."

The Sukkur-Multan Motorway is the largest transportation infrastructure project under CPEC.

It is part of Pakistan's Peshawar-Karachi Motorway and was designed for speeds of up to 120 km/h, enhancing connectivity, trade and transportation in the country.

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): KASHIF NAWAZ, Project Director of Sukkur-Multan Motorway
"Every type of traffic is moving here, which is allowed on the motorway. On the first day, the traffic did not face any problem. So after more than three years of operations, still there is no problem faced here. So it shows that it has been designed keeping in view all international standards which ultimately in all other modern countries they are using."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Islamabad.
(XHTV)