Pakistan, Afghanistan advance UAP railway project as DPM Ishaq Dar held an important phone conversation with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar of Pakistan and Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held a crucial phone call on Sunday to advance the transformative Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line project, aiming to reshape the geopolitical landscape of Central and South Asia.
The ambitious project involves a 573-kilometer railway stretching from Tashkent through Kabul to Peshawar, linking to the Gwadar and Karachi ports. Estimated at $4.8 billion, this rail corridor is expected to open vital trade routes for Central Asia’s landlocked economies, significantly boosting economic integration and regional connectivity.
A Foreign Office statement revealed that both ministers emphasized the urgent need to finalize the framework agreement for the UAP Railway, demonstrating their shared dedication to realizing this strategic infrastructure. This discussion followed Dar’s recent coordination with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich to prepare for the project’s imminent signing ceremony.
Beyond infrastructure development, the call highlighted a positive diplomatic shift. Afghanistan’s Amir Khan Muttaqi welcomed Pakistan’s recent decision to upgrade its diplomatic mission in Kabul from chargé d’affaires to ambassador level, a move Kabul has promised to reciprocate by enhancing its envoy in Islamabad.
For years, both countries maintained embassies led by chargés d’affaires, reflecting decades of mistrust and conflict. Muttaqi described this diplomatic upgrade as a significant step forward in the evolving ties between the “brotherly countries.” This move follows similar upgrades by China and the UAE, signaling growing international acceptance of Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government.
The ministers also reviewed progress on various agreements from Dar’s April visit to Kabul, reaffirming their shared commitment to building trust and cooperation in a region long marked by instability and geopolitical challenges.
As Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan push forward with this major rail project and diplomatic improvements, these efforts could mark the beginning of a new era of connectivity and stability in a historically divided and uncertain region.
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