Sharif: Trans-Afghan rail project a game changer

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): A peaceful and stable Afghanistan is vital to regional connectivity and security, says Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

At a joint news conference with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on Wednesday, he hoped the Trans-Afghan railway project would turn out to be a game changer for the region.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan had an identity of views on Afghanistan’s social development, the Uzbek president said, as the two sides vowed to continue supporting each other at multilateral fora.

A committee would be set up to look into the challenges and issues related to the railway project, Mirziyoyev said, adding: “This is our future. Trade will increase, and the flow of people will rise.”

Some members of Sharif’s delegation are still in Tashkent. They will be joined by more officials from Islamabad for discussions between the two sides on the railroad project.

During Sharif’s two-day trip, Uzbekistan and Pakistan agreed to boost their bilateral trade volume to $2 billion over the next four years and ensure the effective implementation of the Transit Trade Agreement (2021) and the Preferential Trade Agreement (2023).

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