Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan ink trilateral rail agreement

Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan inked a trilateral agreement on a key rail project, which aims to connect the three countries. In a statement, Kabul’s Foreign Ministry said that the agreement was signed between Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport, and Pakistan’s Ministry of Railways. The project aims to build a rail link to facilitate access to Pakistani seaports for Central Asian states.  
A separate statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that by facilitating regional trade and transit, the project is expected to promote regional stability, growth, and development. The proposed 640-km railway line aims to link the Uzbek border with Hairatan on the Afghan side, extending to the eastern city of Logar via Kabul, before entering Pakistan’s border district of Kurram via Kharlachi. They agreed to remain engaged to achieve the full potential of regional economic development, including through the realisation of trans-regional connectivity projects.In the meeting, the three countries emphasized not only strengthening mutual relations but also regional stability, economic connectivity, and the expansion of joint trade.