ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan have signed a joint protocol to establish a rail link that would help connect Pakistan with Central Asia and Russia via Termez city in southern Uzbekistan, officials said on Tuesday, hailing the development as a “game changer” for the region.
The rail route will pass through Termez, Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, and extend till the Kharlachi border crossing in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram tribal district.
The line would support both passenger and freight services, and contribute to regional trade and economic growth, according to officials.
“An MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed between Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan today. A track will be built from Kharlachi (Pakistan) to Termez (Uzbekistan) via Mazar-i-Sharif (Afghanistan),” Pakistan’s Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Twitter.
“The project will help connect Central Asia and Russia with Pakistan. This railway track will be a game changer.”
Representatives of the three countries signed the protocol in Islamabad.
The Afghan embassy in Islamabad said the “monumental achievement” reflected their commitment to strengthen regional cooperation and enhance relations.
“The Termiz-Logar-Kharlachi railway project holds immense promise for fostering economic growth and development in the region,” it said in a statement.
“With the signing of the protocol, we embark on the meticulous phases of planning, resource allocation, and project implementation, reaffirming our joint dedication to establishing robust regional connectivity.”
Landlocked Afghanistan mostly relies on Pakistan for trade, while Islamabad, struggling with an economic crisis, has lately been looking to boost its trade ties with Central Asia and Russia.
A truck carrying export goods from Russia arrived in Pakistan for the first time this month as part an agreement between the two countries. The development came days after Islamabad received a second cargo of discounted crude oil from Moscow.
Last month, a consignment of 21 trucks carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan reached Pakistan through the Torkham border crossing, according to Pakistani customs officials. The LPG orders started arriving shortly after the first cargo of discounted Russian crude oil arrived in Karachi in June.
