Islamabad - The M-14 of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will help boost livestock farming, besides offering a lot of other opportunities especially like jobs for the local people, says a report by Gwadar Pro yesterday.
With the completion of this section, the travel time from Mianwali to Rawalpindi and other destinations would be greatly reduced with less stress for the road users.
At the moment they could only sell their livestock in the animal markets of Kamar Mushani, and the city of Esakhel. However, the motorway would allow them to reach cattle markets of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The livelihood of the majority of people living in rural areas of D.I. Khan, Mianwali and Attock districts mainly depends on agriculture and livestock rearing.
D.I. Khan and Mianwali have some irrigated agriculture while Attock is mainly rainfed. Livestock, for the people of these districts, serve as the main economic bank that they sell in hours of need.
The villagers of these regions mainly raise sheep, goats and cows while keeping donkeys and camels for loadings.
M-14 is also all set to help Attock farmers to send their poultry products across the country.
According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2021, more than eight million rural families are engaged in livestock production and deriving more than 35to 40 percent of their income from this source.
The four-lane motorway that starts from D.I. Khan on Indus Highway N-55 to Hakla on M-1 would play a crucial role in agricultural development with livestock as a key subsector.
Besides connectivity, the impact of M-14 will be felt in many ways, which means a spurt in local enterprises and small businesses to cater to the increased purchasing power of the farmers, more schools and health facilities supported by the influx of new prosperity in the area, more private and public transport, more food shops, more local production, and more construction of residential and commercial properties.
Job opportunities will spring up and set off another set of income-generation activities.
