Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan signed a Framework Agreement in Kabul on Thursday for a Joint Feasibility Study of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who arrived in Kabul for the day-long visit, announced the development in a post on X. He congratulated the governments and people of the three countries on signing the agreement for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link, a key component of the UAP Railway Corridor.
Dar expressed gratitude to his Uzbek and Afghan counterparts for their cooperation throughout the negotiation process and emphasized that the UAP Railway Corridor marks a major step forward in strengthening regional connectivity and integrating Central Asian countries with Pakistani seaports via Afghanistan.
He credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership for initiating the project, noting that he was assigned the task during his tenure as finance minister under the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government. He called the agreement a foundational step for a transformative regional infrastructure initiative.
Ahead of the signing, the foreign ministers of the three countries held a meeting that reaffirmed their strong relations and shared dedication to peace, connectivity, trade, and regional development. The meeting underscored the importance of continuous collaboration to unlock the region’s economic potential and ensure long-term prosperity.
The UAP Railway Project, agreed upon in 2023, envisions a railway line connecting Termiz in Uzbekistan with Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, and entering Pakistan through the Kharlachi border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project is designed to support both freight and passenger transport, boosting transit and trade among the three nations.
Dar was accompanied by Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, and the Ministry of Railways secretary. During his visit, Dar and Abbasi also held meetings with Afghan officials.
In talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, both sides stressed the need to maintain the momentum in bilateral relations and enhance cooperation in trade, transit, and security. They agreed to remain engaged in realizing the full scope of regional economic development through trans-regional connectivity projects.
Dar also met Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, where they discussed mutual interests including security, trade, and connectivity.
In a separate meeting with Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, both sides engaged in detailed discussions on regional security and stressed the importance of eliminating threats. Dar emphasized that addressing critical concerns, particularly security and border management, is essential to unlocking the full benefits of economic cooperation and connectivity in the region.
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