Pakistan, Uzbekistan And Afghanistan Sign Agreement For 760 Kilometre Railway Link Project

Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have formally signed a tri-partite agreement to connect the three countries through a rail network.

The joint protocol for the 760-km-long Trans-Afghan project, which aims to connect the Uzbek rail network with Pakistan Railways, through Afghanistan, was signed in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad in the presence of 'high-ranking' railway officials of the three countries.

The rail route for this connection will pass through Termiz in Uzbekistan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar province in Afghanistan, and culminate in Pakistan via the Kharlachi border crossing in the Kurram tribal district near the Afghan border.

This significant project, known as the Termiz-Logar-Kharlachi railway, will facilitate both passenger and freight services, and "would contribute in regional trade and economic growth," said the protocol.

The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027, and trains could carry goods up to 15 million tons a year by 2030.

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan stand to benefit greatly from this initiative as it will facilitate the efficient and cost-effective transfer of goods and commodities, bolstering trade relations and enhancing economic growth in the region.

Uzbek officials estimate that the multi-billion dollar initiative could shorten delivery times of goods between Uzbekistan and Pakistan by up to five days. At the same time, the cost of goods transport would also be reduced by 30- 40 per cent according to estimates.

For Pakistan, the new rail line would bring its 230-million-strong populace closer to Central Asia and open up trade opportunities with countries in the Arabian Sea.

The prospect of easy access to Pakistan’s seaports is particularly appealing to double-landlocked Uzbekistan.