TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 6. Uzbekistan and Pakistan have discussed joint development of multimodal transportation through the territory of Afghanistan, Trend reports.
The issue was discussed at the meeting between Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan Ilkhom Mahkamov and Ambassador of Pakistan to Uzbekistan Ahmad Farooq.
During the meeting, the parties reviewed the prospects for cooperation in the field of transportation between our countries. In particular, with the aim of increasing the volume of freight transportation between the two countries, the parties highlighted the need for improving multimodal transportation through the territory of Afghanistan.
The sides also exchanged opinions on the resumption of regular air communication on the Tashkent-Lahore-Tashkent route and the implementation of the railway construction project Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar.
Meanwhile, it is worth noting that cargo transportation volumes between Uzbekistan and Pakistan over the recent years has increased almost fivefold.
In February 2021, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan signed a significant railway project worth $4.8 billion, aimed at enhancing trade relations between Pakistan and South Asia. This proposed railway link, spanning 573 kilometers, will connect Termiz in Uzbekistan to Mazar-e Sharif, Kabul, Jalalabad, and eventually extend to Peshawar in Pakistan by crossing the border. The railway will be integrated into the existing network, providing access to Pakistan's seaports and facilitating efficient transportation of goods.
In May 2023, Project Office for coordinating the construction of Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway line was officially inaugurated in Tashkent.
