KABUL, July 17 (Alliance News): Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan have signed a landmark trilateral railway agreement aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and economic integration, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Thursday during a visit to Kabul.
The agreement — part of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project — lays the foundation for a proposed rail link from Uzbekistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan, facilitating access to Pakistani seaports for Central Asian states. The project is expected to bolster regional trade, transit, and stability.
Speaking on social media platform X, DPM Dar congratulated the people and governments of all three nations on the signing of the Framework Agreement for the Joint Feasibility Study of the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link. “This milestone reflects the shared vision of regional connectivity and economic progress,” he wrote.
Dar acknowledged the instrumental role of the previous coalition government (2022–23) under which he, as then-Finance Minister, was tasked to lead this initiative. He said, “The agreement is the fruit of collective leadership and long-term commitment with our brotherly nations.”
Accompanied by Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, and the secretary of railways, Dar witnessed the signing in Kabul. The Foreign Office said this visit underscores Islamabad’s determination to turn the UAP Railway Project into a reality.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that the Framework Agreement marks an essential step towards the project’s implementation, opening new corridors of opportunity for regional economic development.
During his visit, DPM Dar also held a bilateral meeting with Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Senior officials from both sides participated in discussions focusing on deepening cooperation in trade, transit, and security. The two sides expressed a shared commitment to regional development and agreed to continue working together toward peace and prosperity.
Pakistan recently elevated its diplomatic representation in Kabul by appointing a full ambassador, reflecting strengthening bilateral relations.
Earlier this month, Islamabad and Kabul held the inaugural round of an additional secretary-level mechanism to enhance regulated cross-border movement and cooperation on counterterrorism, trade, and transit.
