Pakistan, Uzbekistan move to fast-track Trans-Afghan Railway Project

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the acceleration of the planned Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway, saying the project could significantly strengthen connectivity between Central and South Asia and provide Uzbekistan with access to Pakistan’s seaports.

Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek.

The two leaders agreed to accelerate the implementation of agreements covering trade, investment and regional connectivity, while reaffirming their target of increasing bilateral trade between Pakistan and Uzbekistan to $2 billion by 2029.

The proposed railway, known as the Trans-Afghan Railway, would run through Afghanistan, connecting Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries with Pakistan and international markets through the country’s seaports.

Sharif said the project could transform regional connectivity and facilitate Uzbekistan’s access to global markets through Pakistan’s ports.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have made regional connectivity a key element of their strategic partnership, with the railway viewed as an important project for expanding trade, investment and economic cooperation.

The project would require continued coordination between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. If completed, the railway could strengthen Afghanistan’s position as a major transit route between Central and South Asia and provide the country with new opportunities for transit revenues and regional trade.

The Trans-Afghan Railway has been under discussion for several years as a proposed 760-kilometre rail link from Termez in Uzbekistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan’s railway network. The project is intended to provide Central Asian states with a shorter route to the Arabian Sea and international markets, while opening new trade and transit opportunities for Afghanistan.