Dairy Farmers demand restoration of the Pakistan Railway Livestock Corridor
The Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association Pakistan (DCFA Pakistan) has written a letter to Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) urging the immediate restoration of a Pakistan Railway Livestock Corridor to protect the country’s livestock economy and ensure safe animal transportation.
Livestock Sector Facing Issues
In the letter, DCFA Central President Shakir Umar Gujjar highlighted that the livestock sector is facing a serious crisis. He stated that the transportation of animals through the National Highway passing inside Sindh has become highly unsafe. According to the association, more than 20 trucks carrying livestock are hijacked every month and released only after paying heavy extortion, creating fear among farmers and forcing many to abandon livestock farming.
Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association Pakistan – DCFA Pakistan
The association also expressed concern over the excessive slaughter of productive animals in Karachi and Hyderabad, which is causing a shortage of livestock and contributing to rising milk and meat prices. DCFA stated that restoring a railway-based livestock transport system could save nearly two million animals annually, helping stabilize prices and strengthen national food security.
Pakistan Railway Livestock Corridor to support the economy
The letter further noted that Pakistan has recently signed major meat export agreements with Gulf countries and China, which require a reliable and continuous supply of animals. A secure railway livestock corridor, the association said, would provide the necessary supply chain to meet these international commitments.
کراچی میں بسیں بھینس کالونی کے گوبر سے چلیں گی، بائیوگیس کے حوالے سے معاہدہ طے پا گیا
The letter also mentioned that with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a major biogas plant being established in Karachi will produce 8,000 tons of bio-fertilizer daily. Railways could be used to transport this organic fertilizer across the country, helping restore soil fertility and reduce dependence on imported chemical fertilizers.
Proposed Restoration Plan
DCFA Pakistan recalled that until the 1990s, Pakistan Railways successfully transported livestock across the country, delivering animals directly to Jumma Goth Junction near Cattle Colony Karachi, which served as a dedicated livestock logistics hub. The association has demanded the revival of this tested system.
DCFA Pakistan has proposed attaching livestock wagons with passenger trains to allow farmers to transport animals daily at lower costs, restoring Jumma Goth Junction and cattle colony terminals for livestock and bio-fertilizer logistics, and introducing a special “Green Tariff” for transporting female animals, calves, and organic fertilizer.
The association emphasized that a safe and affordable railway transport system is essential for protecting Pakistan’s livestock industry and ensuring a stable agricultural economy.
