The Ministry of Public Works of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Friday that Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement to commence feasibility studies for the ambitious “Afghan-Trans” railway project, aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and trade.

According to Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, the agreement was finalized during a visit by Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister for Railways to Uzbekistan, where he met with senior officials from Uzbekistan’s Railway Authority.

As part of the bilateral engagement, both sides also agreed to extend the operation, maintenance, and service contract for the strategic Hairatan–Mazar-e-Sharif railway line for an additional two years. This line is a key transit route facilitating trade between the two neighboring countries.

In addition to the Afghan-Trans feasibility study, the meeting also produced an agreement on the design and survey of another vital railway corridor connecting Herat to Mazar-e-Sharif, which is expected to bolster Afghanistan’s internal railway infrastructure and connectivity.

Meanwhile, the Afghan-Trans project gained further momentum following a phone call between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Uzbek counterpart. In the call, the two sides discussed broader regional cooperation, economic integration, and the importance of the Afghan-Trans initiative.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Minister Dar expressed strong support for the trilateral railway initiative, voicing hope that Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan would soon sign a trilateral agreement to jointly move the project forward.

The Afghan-Trans railway, once realized, is expected to become a transformative corridor linking Central and South Asia, unlocking new opportunities for trade, transit, and regional economic growth. (ILKHA)