Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi on Tuesday met with Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed the latest political and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

According to Qatari media reports, Muttaqi and Al Khulaifi also discussed regional and international efforts aimed at supporting stability and advancing human and economic development in the country.

During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of continued joint coordination to strengthen peace efforts and assist the Afghan people in achieving their aspirations for security and sustainable development.

Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov says the volume of goods from Russia that will be transported via the planned Trans Afghan Railway Line will total between eight and 15 million tons annually.

Speaking at an expo in Uzbekistan, Manturov stated that goods will include chemical fertilizers, oil and gas, ferrous metals and coal.

“Russia and Uzbekistan signed an agreement in April this year to exchange information for the development of feasibility studies. It is expected that calculations for the projected transport volume, as well as assessments of the economic benefits of future routes, will be completed next year.

“The bulk of the cargo will likely include chemical fertilizers, petroleum products, ferrous metals, hard coal, and similar goods,” said Manturov.

He added that transportation authorities from both Russia and Uzbekistan are working on the railway project.

Currently feasibility studies are being conducted for western routes through Mazar-e-Sharif, Herat, Delaram, and Kandahar, and eastern routes through Termez, Naibabad, Logar, and Khairlachi.

The planned railway line, once completed, will connect the European Union, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Southeast Asian countries.

Abdul Hadi Farhang, an economic expert, said: “The Trans Afghan project will not only help reduce the cost of goods in Afghanistan but also play a key role in trade and the country’s economic growth.”

Meanwhile, Russian investors have expressed interest in establishing a $500 million oil refinery in Balkh province.

The goal of this initiative is to create jobs, expand economic opportunities for the Afghan people, and strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

The Ministry of Information and Culture has announced the ministry’s Media Complaints and Violations Investigation Commission has suspended the operations of Afghanistan’s “Rah-e-Farda” broadcasting TV.

According to a statement issued by the ministry on Tuesday, the decision follows repeated complaints from journalists and employees of Rah-e-Farda, claiming that their salaries and benefits have not been paid by the station’s management for several years.

The ministry added that the Media Complaints and Violations Commission summoned the station’s officials multiple times to resolve the issue and provided recommendations for paying staff salaries and benefits.

However, no action has been taken by the management.

The ministry stressed that, as a result, the commission has decided to refer the matter to the court for final resolution and, in accordance with media laws and regulations, has suspended Rah-e-Farda TV’s operations until a court ruling is issued.