President Arif Alvi, during a bilateral meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, reassured Pakistan’s complete support for the Trans-Afghan Railway project and all possible cooperation for its early recognition.
On Sunday, Nov. 28, a joint meeting was held on the sidelines of the 15th ECO Summit of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Ashgabat between President Arif Alvi and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Pakistan.
Topics discussed during the Meeting:
Various matters of bilateral interest were discussed by the two head of states. As per the press release, following subject matters were covered during the talks:
- Wide spectrum of bilateral cooperation
- trade and economic relations
- connectivity agendas
- significance of enhancing structured political ties
- Benefits of operationalizing Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (UPTTA)
President Alvi further highlighted the crucial need for instant provision of humanitarian as well as economic assistance for the war-torn Afghanistan to prevent economic collapse in the country. He mentioned the de-freezing of Afghanistan’s financial assets as a priority step in this respect, said the PR.
About the Trans-Afghan Railway Project:
Earlier this year, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan agreed to build a 573-kilometer long connecting railway network from Mazar-e-Sharif to Peshawar, via Kabul.The route traverses the Hindu-Kush range and reaches an altitude of 3,500 meters, which would make it one of the highest railroads in the world on completion.
The project, at an estimated cost of US$5 billion, will open Pakistani seaports on the Arabian Gulf to Uzbekistan and continue Afghanistan’s gradual integration into the Central Asian economic system. The operation of the Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway line will lessen the time and cost of transporting goods along the existing highway between Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul, while power lines from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are also being stretched to Kabul and across Afghanistan.
A railway will reduce transportation times by an approximated 30%. It also reduces the delivery time of goods from the Russian border (Ozinki) to Karachi to 16-18 days, and from Termez to Karachi, 8-10 days. Rail traffic volume is expected to reach 10 million tons.