Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan signed a landmark Framework Agreement for a joint feasibility study on the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link under the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor in Kabul on July 17, 2025. The agreement marks a pivotal step toward enhancing regional connectivity and trade.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, leading a high-level delegation including the Railways Minister and Special Representative for Afghanistan, attended the signing ceremony. In a post on X, Dar congratulated the three nations, describing the UAP Railway Corridor as a “significant milestone for regional connectivity and economic integration.” He credited the Pakistan Democratic Movement government (2022–23), led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, for laying the project’s foundation during his tenure as finance minister. Dar also thanked Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for their commitment to finalizing the agreement.
The UAP Railway Project, agreed upon in 2023, aims to connect Termiz in Uzbekistan to Pakistani seaports via Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, entering Pakistan through the Kharlachi border crossing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This rail link, designed for both passenger and freight services, will provide Central Asian states access to global trade routes through Pakistan’s ports, including Karachi and Gwadar. The $4.8 billion project is expected to reduce freight costs by up to 40% and cut delivery times by five days, fostering economic growth and stability across the region.
Dar held bilateral meetings with Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund and Acting Foreign Minister Muttaqi, discussing trade, security, and sustained engagement to strengthen ties. A trilateral meeting with Afghan and Uzbek counterparts further emphasized the commitment to peace, connectivity, and development. The agreement, signed by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport, and Pakistan’s Ministry of Railways, underscores a shared vision for unlocking the region’s economic potential.
