The M1 motorway, is an east-west motorway in Pakistan, connecting Peshawar to Islamabad-Rawalpindi. The motorway is 155 km long, with 88 km in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 67 km in Punjab. The M1 has become a vital link to Afghanistan and Central Asia and is expected to take heavy traffic off the highly used N-5 National Highway. The motorway is also a part of the Asian Highway AH1 and AH4.
The M1 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 M1 leaves Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and enters into Punjab province, where it passes through Attock, Burhan and Hasan Abdal. The M1 terminates near Islamabad as a continuation of the M2 motorway.
The M1 was initially planned by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Shareef in his riegn in 1999. After the military takeover in 1999, this project was ignored and then it is again started in 2004.It was completed and inaugurated by President Pervez Musharraf on 30 October 2007.The contract was awarded to Saadullah Khan & Brothers of Pakistan.
