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Pakistan, Uzbekistan agree to work together to realize Trans-Afghan railway project
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that both sides had agreed to make joint efforts to realize the “dream” project of the Trans-Afghan railway line to connect Central Asia with South Asia.
The project would be a game changer for the region, Sharif said at a joint press conference with Mirziyoyev in Tashkent.
Mirziyoyev said it was agreed that a committee would be formed to look into the challenges and issues relating to the railway project. “This is our future. Trade will increase, and the flow of people will rise,” he added.
The Pakistani prime minister also assured the Uzbek side of his government’s “finest role” in achieveing the Trans-Afghan rail connectivity project.
The Trans-Afghan railway project, first suggested by Uzbekistan in December 2018, proposes to extend the Afghan rail network from Mazar-e-Sharif to Kabul and then to Paktia province.
Uzbek officials say the project is expected to be completed by 2027.
At the press conference in Tashkent, Sharif urged the Islamic Emirate against using its territory to launch attacks on any country, including Pakistan, stressing that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is essential for regional connectivity and security.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly stressed that it will not allow Afghanistan’s territory to be used against any other country.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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