Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan have signed the Trilateral Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link under the Uzbek–Afghan–Pak (UAP) Railway Corridor in Kabul on Thursday.
Deputy Prime and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar witnessed the signing ceremony of UAP Rail Project along with Afghan and Uzbek foreign ministers.
Dar along with a high-level Pakistani delegation dashed to Kabul on a day long crucial visit to sign the trilateral agreement and meet the top Afghan leadership to strengthen bilateral ties.
Pakistan, Afghanistan push ahead with UAP rail project
Dar congratulated the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan for their support and commitment for timely signing of the agreement. “We remained closely engaged throughout the negotiation process to finalize the details,” Dar announced on his X (formerly Twitter).
The UAP Railway Corridor, a major milestone in advancing regional connectivity and economic integration, will connect Central Asian countries to Pakistani seaports through Afghanistan.
The DPM/FM was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Minister for Railways, SAPM/Special Representative for Afghanistan, and secretary Ministry of Railways.
The UAP Railway Project aims to build a rail link to connect Uzbekistan with Pakistan via Afghanistan and facilitate access to Pakistani seaports for Central Asian States. By facilitating regional trade and transit, the project is expected to promote regional stability, growth and development.
Dar’s visit underscores the importance Pakistan attaches to the successful realisation of the UAP Railway Project. The signing of the Framework Agreement on Joint Feasibility Study between the three participating countries in Kabul was the important step towards its implementation.
On the sidelines of the signing ceremony for the Framework Agreement on Joint Feasibility Study of the UAP Railway Corridor, Dar called on the Afghan Prime Minister, Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund. According to the Foreign Office spokesperson’s statement, the two leaders exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including peace and security, trade and transit cooperation and regional connectivity.
Recalling their earlier meeting on 19 April 2025, they reaffirmed the commitment to continued engagement and agreed to maintain high-level contacts to promote bilateral relations.
During the visit, Dar also held meeting with the Afghan Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to discuss bilateral matters and exchange views on regional and international developments.
The two sides called for strengthened efforts to maintain the momentum in bilateral relations and to expand cooperation in trade, transit and security, domains to the mutual benefit of both peoples.
They agreed to remain engaged to achieve the full potential of regional economic development, including through realisation of trans-regional connectivity projects.
