According to a report by *The Print* on June 4, Pakistan plans to construct the country's longest highway tunnel under the framework of CPEC 2.0. On June 3, Pakistan approved the construction of the 172-kilometer Mansehra–Naran–Jhal Khand–Chilas Motorway (MNJC), and is planning to build the 13.5-kilometer Babusar Pass Tunnel, which will serve as a major alternative route to the Karakoram Highway. The proposed Babusar Tunnel will become Pakistan’s longest highway tunnel; once operational, it will ensure year-round connectivity between northern Pakistan and China’s western regions by eliminating disruptions caused by heavy snowfall and landslides at the Babusar Pass. The project will be implemented in two phases: the first phase will connect Mansehra to Kaghan, Naran, and Babusar Top; the second phase will extend northward to Chilas and rejoin the Karakoram Highway corridor. According to Pakistani Minister of Transport Abdul Aleem Khan, this route is expected to become the "fastest, shortest, and most economical" land passage linking the Arabian Sea with China’s western region. In mid-May, the China-Pakistan joint statement reiterated the commitment to advancing CPEC development and upgrading the Karakoram Highway, and for the first time explicitly invited third-party countries to participate in CPEC construction.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867203410435072/
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