M-1 motorway (Pakistan)
Motorway in Pakistan connecting Islamabad and Peshawar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The M-1 motorway or the Islamabad–Peshawar Motorway (Urdu: اسلام آباد - پشاور موٹروے) is an east–west motorway in Pakistan, connecting Peshawar to Islamabad–Rawalpindi.[2]
Kernal Sher Khan Interchange 
Hazara Interchange
Burhan Interchange
Hakla Interchange | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ایم ١ موٹروے | ||||
| Islamabad–Peshawar Motorway اسلام آباد - پشاور موٹروے | ||||
 | ||||
| Route information | ||||
Part of  AH1  AH4 | ||||
| Maintained by National Highway Authority | ||||
| Length | 155 km[1] (96 mi) | |||
| Existed | 2007–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end | PRR Peshawar | |||
| Kernal Sher Khan Interchange Hazara Interchange Burhan Interchange Hakla Interchange | ||||
| East end |  Islamabad–Rawalpindi | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Pakistan | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
The motorway was constructed during President Pervez Musharraf's rule at a cost of Rs. 13 billion (equivalent to US$332 million in 2025), and was opened in October 2007.[3] It spans 155 km (96 mi),[2] with 88 km (55 mi) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 67 km (42 mi) in Punjab. National Highways & Motorway Police is responsible for maintaining law & order on M-1 motorway.[4]
History
Work on M-1 was started during Nawaz Sharif's tenure in 1997, and the contract was awarded to Turkish company Bayindar.[5] However, the work stopped after his government was dismissed by Army Chief Pervez Musharraf in October 1999. Progress remained very slow and not much work was done between 1999 and 2003.[5]
Work restarted in 2003 after the contract was re-awarded to a consortium PMC-JV during President Pervez Musharraf's tenure.[5] A plan was made to connect the existing M-2 motorway with the Torkham border. In 2004, the Senate body was briefed on a plan to connect Gwadar Port with the existing motorway infrastructure. Hence, it highlighted importance of M-1 motorway in this context.[6]
It was completed at a cost of Rs. 13 billion, and was inaugurated by President Pervez Musharraf on 30 October 2007.[7][3]
New Toll Plaza
In 2016, the old toll plaza in Srinagar Highway was demolished with a new toll plaza made. This toll plaza was still relatively small. But soon, another new, bigger toll plaza was made for M-1. The old toll plaza in Srinagar Highway was demolished due to high traffic and volume.
Route
The M-1 originates northeast of Peshawar at the junction with the Peshawar Ring Road. It then crosses over the Kabul River in an eastern direction passing the cities of Charsadda, Risalpur, Swabi, and Rashakai before crossing the Indus River. The M-1 leaves Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and enters into Punjab province after crossing the Indus River, where it passes through Attock, Burhan, and Hasan Abdal. The M-1 terminates near Islamabad as a continuation of the M-2 motorway.
The whole stretch of the M-1 consists of six lanes, with a number of rest stops along the route. The M-1 has 14 interchanges - at Airport Link Road, Islamabad, AWT/ Sanjiani/ Paswal, Burma Bhatar, Burhan (Hassan Abadal/ Kamra), Hazara Expressway (E-35), Ghazi, Chachh, Sawabi, Misri Banda, Rashakai, Charsadda, the Peshawar Northern Bypass and Peshawar Ring Road. At Brahma Bahtar Interchange, the Brahma Bahtar-Yarik Motorway leads towards Dera Ismail Khan.
There are three major bridges along the route along the Haro, Indus and Kabul rivers, 18 flyovers, 27 small bridges, 137 underpasses and 571 culverts. 10 service areas (five on the each side of the motorway) are present along the route. The route also travels over the Ghazi Barotha canal that provides water to the Ghazi-Barotha Hydropower Project.
Junctions and interchanges
| M-1 Motorway Junctions | ||
| West bound exits | Junction | East bound exits |
|---|---|---|
| Continues as Peshawar Ring Road | ||
| PRR Peshawar Ring Road |  |
Start of motorway |
| to Peshawar-Charsadda Road | 
|
to Chamkiani & N-5 National Highway |
| to Charsadda & KP Highway S-1 | 
|
to Nowshera |
| to Mardan, Rashakai & N-95 National Highway | 
|
to Risalpur |
| to Wali | Exit 5 - Wali | to Wali |
| to M-16 | Exit 6 - M-16 | to Chakdara |
| to Swabi, Topi | Exit 7 - Swabi | to Jehangira |
| to Chach | Exit 8 - Chach | to Chach |
| to Ghorghushti | Exit 9 - Ghazi | to Lawrencepur |
| to M-15 | Exit 10 - M-15 | to M-15 |
| to Hasan Abdal & N-35 National Highway | Exit 11 - N-5 | to Burhan, Attock |
| to Brahma Bahtar | Exit 12 - Brahma Bahtar | to Brahma Bahtar |
| to Sangjani | Exit 13 - AWT & Sangjani-Peswal | to Peswal |
| to M-14 | Exit 14 - M-14 | to M-14 |
| to Taxila/Wah Cantt | Exit 15 - Fateh Jang | to Fateh Jang |
| to Rawalpindi, Islamabad | Exit 16 - Rawalpindi & Islamabad | to Islamabad International Airport |
| Continues as M-2 | ||
