- Messages
- 1,734
- Reactions
- Nation of residence
-
- Nation of origin
-
Over the next few weeks a major event is about to take place. The completion of the bridge over the Indus River just north of Mianwali as part of the M-14 motorway from Islamabad to DI Khan. This will be a profound moment as it will help to lay one of the major portions of the Western Corridor of the CPEC which will connect Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, north into Balochistan, then pass through south of Khyber Pakhtunwa a region which has been hitherto neglected into Potohar plateu of Punjab and finally Islamabad thus connecting it to the national motorway hub.
Over the coming years not only will it give Pakistan a alternative north-south economic corridor to the already existent eastern corridor which terminates at Karachi but it will bring economic opportunities along the entire Arabian Sea/Iran, Baloch, tribal Af-Pak region but it will finally provide Gwadar with a hinterland and traffic. Thus far the Port of Gwadar is almost a isolated island.
As the western corridor infrastructure is completed all of Afghanistan, western portion of Pakistan, Central Asia and even Chinese Turkestan will come within the ports hinterland. To be sure it will require another decade for the economic and trade linkages to take root along the corridor but the lattice will have been laid out.
Although I have a thread on CPEC western corridor but I feel this bridge is such a vital piece in the bigger picture it deserved it's own thread. To give you idea of the change that will come about the erstwhile tribal areas are now going to be 4 hours drive from Islamabad when they used to be 8 hours. Even Quetta, Balochistan will be with 8 hours drive and Port of Gwadar within the reach on the same day from Islamabad. Once fully completed Gwadar will actually be a economical alternative to Karachi.
The location within the wider Western Corridor
A close up of the location with KPK on the west side and Punjab on the right bank of Indus. The population around the bridge is mostly Pakhtun although it falls within Punjab boundary. As you move east the mix begins to tilt toward Punjabi majority. For instance Kot Gulla is Punjabi whereas Bani Afghan displays the majority. Note this is on the east side of the Indus. Many Indians are under the false illusion that the ethnic fracture between Pakhtuns and Punjabis runs nicely on the Indus River with each in a tidy west bank and east bank of Indus split.
Going back to the bridge which is eight lane, divided barrier structure and nearly 1.5 miles long.
Once over into Khyber Pakhtunkwa M-14 is almost complete thus by August 2021 Islamabad - Yarik-DI Khan and Quettam Balochistan will be connected. I really look forward to doing this route once Pakistan comes off the red list. The region is very Mediteranean looking with olive, orange, lemon etc groves.
And I genuinely think this will augur social, economic and political change in this neglected region of Pakistan even if it takes decade to really consolidate the effects.
@mulj I tag you as you have faith in Pakistan despite what the media says.
Over the coming years not only will it give Pakistan a alternative north-south economic corridor to the already existent eastern corridor which terminates at Karachi but it will bring economic opportunities along the entire Arabian Sea/Iran, Baloch, tribal Af-Pak region but it will finally provide Gwadar with a hinterland and traffic. Thus far the Port of Gwadar is almost a isolated island.
As the western corridor infrastructure is completed all of Afghanistan, western portion of Pakistan, Central Asia and even Chinese Turkestan will come within the ports hinterland. To be sure it will require another decade for the economic and trade linkages to take root along the corridor but the lattice will have been laid out.
Although I have a thread on CPEC western corridor but I feel this bridge is such a vital piece in the bigger picture it deserved it's own thread. To give you idea of the change that will come about the erstwhile tribal areas are now going to be 4 hours drive from Islamabad when they used to be 8 hours. Even Quetta, Balochistan will be with 8 hours drive and Port of Gwadar within the reach on the same day from Islamabad. Once fully completed Gwadar will actually be a economical alternative to Karachi.
The location within the wider Western Corridor
A close up of the location with KPK on the west side and Punjab on the right bank of Indus. The population around the bridge is mostly Pakhtun although it falls within Punjab boundary. As you move east the mix begins to tilt toward Punjabi majority. For instance Kot Gulla is Punjabi whereas Bani Afghan displays the majority. Note this is on the east side of the Indus. Many Indians are under the false illusion that the ethnic fracture between Pakhtuns and Punjabis runs nicely on the Indus River with each in a tidy west bank and east bank of Indus split.
Going back to the bridge which is eight lane, divided barrier structure and nearly 1.5 miles long.
Once over into Khyber Pakhtunkwa M-14 is almost complete thus by August 2021 Islamabad - Yarik-DI Khan and Quettam Balochistan will be connected. I really look forward to doing this route once Pakistan comes off the red list. The region is very Mediteranean looking with olive, orange, lemon etc groves.
And I genuinely think this will augur social, economic and political change in this neglected region of Pakistan even if it takes decade to really consolidate the effects.
@mulj I tag you as you have faith in Pakistan despite what the media says.
Last edited:
