A nation’s roads often reveal more about its governance than its political speeches ever can.

Smooth highways, efficient transport systems and transparent public services create confidence among citizens. Broken roads, endless toll queues and rising charges create something very different. frustration, distrust and a growing sense that ordinary people are paying more while receiving less.

Pakistan today stands uncomfortably between these two realities. Over the last two decades, governments have heavily promoted infrastructure development as proof of national progress. Motorways, flyovers, ring roads and expressways have been showcased as symbols of modernization and economic ambition. Billboards celebrate connectivity while official narratives describe transport networks as the backbone of growth. Yet the daily experience of the average traveler tells another story.

For millions of Pakistanis, especially those who frequently travel on intercity routes such as the Grand Trunk Road, the journey has become increasingly expensive and increasingly........

© Pakistan Observer