The World Bank has approved a $130m loan to Pakistan for a highway rehabilitation project in the region.

The project will be executed in three components; rehabilitation of 514km of highways, resurfacing of 342km of highways and reconstructing 128km of damaged roads that provide access to remote and disaster-prone communities.

World Bank country director for Pakistan Rachid Benmessaoud said: “With growth, there has been an increase in demand for better infrastructure. However, Pakistan’s infrastructure platform needs significant investment in order to support Pakistan’s growth and service delivery goals.”

The World Bank said the funds will help create an efficient highway network by easing transportation bottlenecks and costs.