N-50 Quetta-Zhob Highway Guide

The N-50 is a 531 km national highway that links Kuchlak, just north of Quetta, with Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It runs east through Muslim Bagh, Qila Saifullah and Zhob and is the main road between northern Balochistan and the Indus plains. It is a regional road for traders, families and officials, not a tourist route, and both ends of it are in areas the UK government advises against visiting.

This guide describes the route, what has been built, and what to check before using it. It does not recommend the drive for visitors.

Where does the N-50 go?

The highway starts at Kuchlak on the N-25, just off the N-25, and heads east through the hills of the Pashtun belt of Balochistan. The main places on it, in order, are:

1. Muslim Bagh, the first large town, the gateway to the Zhob valley.
2. Qila Saifullah, the headquarters of its district. The 50 km Muslim Bagh to Qila Saifullah section and the 150 km Qila Saifullah to Zhob section were rebuilt as separate road contracts, and the Qila Saifullah to Zhob stretch was opened by the then prime minister in January 2014.
3. Zhob, the largest town on the route, in a valley near the Afghan frontier.
4. Mughal Kot, near the provincial boundary with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
5. Dera Ismail Khan, where the road meets the Indus Highway.

The road is two-lane for most of its length. It crosses a mix of high dry hills, narrow valleys and river crossings, and the surface has been better on the rebuilt sections than on the older ones.

What is the dualisation plan?

The National Highway Authority has long planned to widen the Zhob to Kuchlak section, 298 km, into a four-lane dual carriageway as part of the western route of CPEC, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In 2020 the NHA invited bids for five packages of between 50 and 65 km each: Zhob to Tangi, Tangi to Qila Saifullah, Qila Saifullah to Nasai, Nasai to Khanozai and Khanozai to Kuchlak. An NHA official said at the time that it would cut the Quetta to Dera Ismail Khan journey by about eight hours.

Contracts for the three packages were later reported as awarded, but we could not find a reliable source confirming how much has been finished or when the road will open. Until the NHA says so, assume you will meet single-carriageway road, truck traffic and construction diversions. That kind of project often runs behind schedule.

Why do people use the N-50?

The N-50 is used for:

• Passenger and freight transport between Quetta, Zhob and Dera Ismail Khan, much of it by bus and van.
• Access to Zhob and Sherani districts, which have few other connections.
• Trade between Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab through the Indus Highway.

Compared with going from Quetta to Punjab by the N-25 and the Sukkur route, or by air, the N-50 is shorter on the map. But it passes through a more remote region with fewer facilities and a stronger security presence, which is why most people who can afford to fly do so.

Security and night travel

Check this before anything else.

• UK advice. The UK government advises against all travel to Balochistan. It also advises against all travel to Dera Ismail Khan, where the N-50 ends, and to several other KP districts. Foreign nationals should assume this road is not open to them, and travelling against government advice can invalidate insurance.
• Night ban. In March 2025 district notifications banned public and private transport on major Balochistan highways between 6 pm and 6 am. The N-50, linking Quetta with Dera Ismail Khan, was among the roads named. Our guide to the Balochistan night travel ban explains how it has been applied.
• Recent violence. In March 2026 security forces reported destroying militant hideouts near the Afghan border in the Zhob and Qila Saifullah areas (Dawn). On the night of 6 July 2026 an attack on a police post at Mangi Dam in Ziarat district killed nine police officers, and residents later blocked a national highway near the site in protest. The wider July 2026 violence across Balochistan killed dozens of security personnel. Quetta itself saw a train bombing on 24 May 2026 that killed at least 47 people.
• Earlier incidents. Zhob had military base attacks in 2023, and a 2023 attack in Muslim Bagh as well. These are part of the pattern in the area.

None of this means that nobody travels the road. Local people, drivers and officials use it every day. But the risk is real and it changes from week to week, so ask the district administration, bus terminal staff or police before setting out. Carry your original CNIC (see our page on CNIC requirements in Balochistan) and expect frequent checkposts.

Planning a journey on the N-50

If you have to travel on it:

• Start early. Between the daylight rule and slow trucks, you want to be at your destination before dark. We could not verify a standard journey time for the full road, so ask drivers who have done it recently.
• Use a bus or hired car with a local driver rather than driving yourself. Local drivers know which sections are being worked on and where the checkposts are.
• Carry cash, water and a power bank. Phone signal can drop in the hills.
• Fuel up in Quetta, Muslim Bagh or Zhob, and don't assume fuel is available at remote junctions.
• Check weather. Winter brings snow and ice to the higher sections around Qila Saifullah, and flash floods in the monsoon can close river crossings.

For a wider picture, see our guide on whether Balochistan is safe to travel, and our travel guide for general planning.

Is the N-50 worth taking?

For most travellers, no. The road is a working corridor, not a scenic drive, and the towns on it are not set up for visitors. If your destination is Dera Ismail Khan, the place itself is also on the UK's all-travel list; our Dera Ismail Khan guide describes it, but check its current situation first.

If you simply need to get between Quetta and Punjab or KP, a flight is generally more practical and avoids the highway. It makes sense mainly for people with family or work along the route, who will know the local conditions better than any guide.

Frequently asked questions