Pakistan signs railway project with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan

KABUL: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan on Thursday signed a Framework Agreement to conduct a joint feasibility study for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link, part of the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor.

Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar signed the agreement during his visit to Kabul and confirmed the development in a post on X.

“I congratulate the people & governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan on the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link under the Uzbek–Afghan–Pak (UAP) Railway Corridor,” the deputy prime minister posted.

“The UAP Railway Corridor, a major milestone in advancing regional connectivity and economic integration, will connect Central Asian countries to Pakistani seaports through Afghanistan.”

Ishaq Dar praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for leading the effort with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan on the trilateral rail project.

“The signing of today’s agreement is a result of the leadership & commitment of the last PDM Government (2022–23), under Prime Minister @CMShehbaz when I was tasked as Finance Minister of PDM government to lead this effort with brotherly countries, and we collectively laid the foundation for this transformational project,” the deputy prime minister added.

He also thanked the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan for signing the agreement on time. “I also thank the Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan @FMSaidov & Afghanistan for their support & commitment to the timely signing of the agreement. We remained closely engaged throughout the negotiation process to finalise the details.”

During his visit, Ishaq Dar met Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and both leaders agreed to stay engaged in realizing the full potential of regional economic development, including through trans-regional connectivity projects, according to a news release from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office.

Both sides urged strengthened efforts to maintain momentum in bilateral relations and pledged to expand cooperation in trade, transit, and security for the mutual benefit of their peoples.

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