The M-1 motorway (Pakistan), also known as the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway, is a six-lane, controlled-access motorway in Pakistan. Spanning approximately 155 kilometers (96 miles), it connects the city of Peshawar in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the Punjab province and Islamabad Capital Territory, respectively.
The construction of the M-1 motorway began in 1997 as part of Pakistan's ambitious motorway network development program. It was completed and fully opened to traffic in 2007, significantly reducing travel time between Peshawar and Islamabad.
The M-1 serves as a vital artery for trade, commerce, and passenger transport between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the central regions of Pakistan. It features multiple interchanges, underpasses, and overhead bridges, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted flow of traffic. Key interchanges connect it to major towns and cities along its route, including Charsadda, Swabi, Mardan, and Attock.
At its eastern terminus near Islamabad, the M-1 seamlessly merges with the M-2 motorway (Lahore-Islamabad Motorway), creating a continuous high-speed corridor that links Peshawar with Lahore and other major cities further south, thereby playing a crucial role in the overall connectivity and economic development of the country.