KABUL: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan have officially signed a Framework Agreement for a joint feasibility study on the Naibabad–Kharlachi railway line, part of the larger Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor. The agreement was signed during the visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Senator Ishaq Dar, to Kabul. He confirmed the development in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Dar congratulated the three nations, emphasizing that the UAP Railway Corridor represents a significant step toward regional connectivity and economic cooperation. Once completed, the corridor will facilitate direct access from Central Asian states to Pakistan’s seaports via Afghanistan.
Dar credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for spearheading the trilateral rail initiative during the previous PDM government (2022–23), noting that he was assigned the responsibility of leading negotiations when he served as finance minister. He described the agreement as a “transformational project” that was made possible through dedicated collaboration with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
He also expressed gratitude to the foreign ministers of both countries—Uzbekistan’s Bakhtiyor Saidov and Afghanistan’s Amir Khan Muttaqi—for their consistent engagement and support throughout the negotiation process.
During his Kabul visit, Dar also held talks with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to maximizing regional economic development through enhanced connectivity. They agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties and expand collaboration in trade, transit, and security to benefit both nations. This trilateral agreement is seen as a strategic move to boost trade and foster long-term regional integration.
