Pakistan signs trilateral railway agreement with Uzbekistan, Afghanistan

Islamabad/Kabul (Web Desk): According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a significant trilateral agreement has been signed in Kabul between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. The agreement pertains to conducting a joint feasibility study for the proposed Nawababad–Kharlachi railway link, which is a central component of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor.

In a statement shared via the Ministry’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar congratulated the governments and people of all three countries on this major milestone. He emphasized that the agreement marks a vital step toward strengthening regional connectivity and enhancing economic cooperation.

Ishaq Dar also thanked his Afghan and Uzbek counterparts for their active cooperation and timely efforts in finalizing the agreement. He highlighted that close coordination throughout the negotiation process allowed for a smooth and effective conclusion.

The Foreign Minister noted that the UAP Railway Corridor aims to significantly boost trade, integration, and connectivity across the region by linking Central Asian countries to Pakistani ports via Afghanistan.

He further stated that this agreement is the outcome of groundwork laid during the previous government (2022–23), when he led the project as Finance Minister under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership.

Prior to the signing ceremony, a trilateral meeting was held between Ishaq Dar and the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan in Kabul. The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in areas such as peace, trade, infrastructure, and regional development.

All parties stressed the importance of sustained collaboration to unlock the region’s economic potential and ensure long-term prosperity for their peoples.