ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has finalized a Chinese firm for consultancy services under the Comprehensive Road Safety Improvement package for the Reconstruction of National Highway N-5, being undertaken through Pakistan’s Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework Project.
The project, financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), aims to upgrade, rehabilitate and improve road safety along Pakistan’s longest and busiest highway, the N-5, stretching from Karachi to Torkham.
It forms part of a broader multi-phase program designed to enhance climate resilience, road geometry, and operational efficiency along key sections of the corridor.
The first phase focuses on priority sections including Ranipur–Sukkur (70 km) in Sindh, Rawalpindi–Hassanabdal (40 km) in Punjab and Islamabad, and Nowshera–Peshawar (31 km) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while later phases will cover stretches such as Lahore–Gujranwala and the Nai Baran Bridge.
According to the NHA’s Final Evaluation Report prepared, M/s Beijing Zhongjiao Hua’an Technology Co. Ltd in association with M/s Systems Engineering Associates (sub-consultant) was ranked highest and shortlisted after securing 77 points in the technical evaluation.
The selection was made using the Consultant’s Qualification-Based Selection (CQS) method under AIIB’s Procurement Instructions for Recipients (PIR).
A total of five firms submitted Expressions of Interest for the assignment.
These included M/s Beijing Zhongjiao Hua’an Technology Co. Ltd (China) in association with M/s Systems Engineering Associates (Pakistan), M/s Swedish National Road Consulting AB (Sweden) in association with M/s AI Engineers Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd, M/s ALTER Uluslararası Mühendislik ve Müşavirlik Hizmetleri A.S. (Turkey) in joint venture with M/s PEAS Consulting (Pvt.) Ltd and M/s TEARS Consultants (sub-consultant), M/s FRED Engineering in association with M/s S Enterprises, and M/s Boğaziçi Proje Mühendislik A.S. (Turkey) in joint venture with M/s MC Mobility Consultants GmbH and M/s EA Consulting (Pvt.) Ltd.
The Chinese-led consortium emerged as the top-ranked firm with 77 points, followed by the Swedish firm with 55 points, ALTER with 53, FRED Engineering with 29, and Boğaziçi Proje with 24 points. Following the evaluation, contract negotiations were successfully concluded with the top-ranked firm at an agreed cost of USD 263,582 and Rs37.86 million.
The consultancy will focus on road safety improvements, rehabilitation, and reconstruction works along the N-5 corridor, a critical artery connecting Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar, with the objective of improving travel safety, reducing congestion, and building climate-resilient infrastructure.
