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Foreign ministers

Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan Sign Framework Agreement on Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Project

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Pakistani Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, signed the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project in Kabul, reaffirming their shared commitment to peace, connectivity, trade, and regional development. The agreement is seen as a major milestone in advancing regional connectivity and economic integration, connecting Central Asian countries to Pakistani seaports through Afghanistan.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the UAP Railway Project was signed by Pakistani Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, in Kabul.
  • The project aims to build a rail link that will connect Uzbekistan with Pakistan via Afghanistan, facilitating access to Pakistani seaports for Central Asian states.
  • The UAP Railway project is expected to promote regional stability, growth, and development by facilitating regional trade and transit.
  • The project will also provide better connectivity to the people across the region, enabling passenger and freight services.
  • The agreement is a result of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's leadership and commitment, who tasked Deputy PM Dar with leading the effort to finalize the details.
  • Deputy PM Dar held trilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, as well as a meeting with Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, to discuss mutual interests, including peace and security, trade and transit cooperation, and regional connectivity.
  • The parties agreed to remain engaged to achieve the full potential of regional economic development, including through the realization of trans-regional connectivity projects.

Statistics:

  • The UAP Railway project will connect Termiz in Uzbekistan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, and enter Pakistan through the Kharlachi border crossing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • The project will facilitate regional, transit, and bilateral trade among participating countries.
  • The UAP Railway project is expected to promote regional stability, growth, and development by facilitating regional trade and transit.
  • The project will provide better connectivity to the people across the region, enabling passenger and freight services.

Sources:

  • X post by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar
  • Press release by the Foreign Office (FO) on X
  • Statement by Deputy PM Dar on the signing of the UAP Railway Project
  • Report by the Press Trust of India (PTI)

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