The Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) has been facilitating a dispute resolution process between the Parties involved in the request for inspection concerning the Pakistan Khyber Pass Economic Corridor Project since November 14, 2024.

The objective of this World Bank-financed project is to expand economic activity between Pakistan and Afghanistan by improving regional connectivity and promoting private sector development along the Khyber Pass corridor. The complaint, submitted by 448 individuals from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, raises five primary concerns specific to the design and route alignment of the Southern Link Road (SLR), a new four-lane road planned as part of the project.

The Parties involved in the case – the government of Pakistan (the Borrower) and the affected communities (the Requesters) – have signed an interim agreement that partially addresses the eligible issues in the case. They have subsequently requested additional time from the Head of DRS to continue the mediation process. Given the progress the parties have achieved to date, Orsolya Székely, the Head of DRS, has extended the process for this case by an additional six months, with a final deadline of May 14, 2026.

The Accountability Mechanism’s operating procedures allow for a one-year period for parties to reach a resolve in the dispute resolution process, with a possible six-month extension. Orsolya Székely informed the World Bank Board of Executive Directors of the extension on November 13, 2025.

Case No. 24/04/DRS

NOTICE OF EXTENSION - DISPUTE RESOLUTION - Pakistan: Khyber Pass Economic Corridor Project (P159577)