Trans-rail connectivity
Amidst cross-border fissures, there is some good news on regional connectivity. The 760km tri-national railway line connecting Uzbekistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan is a note of celebration. It simply comes to beat parochialism prevalent in the region, and proactively links the dynamics of economics and politics. The proposed route is the first of its kind envisaged as it will pass through Termez in Uzbekistan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, and culminate in Pakistan via the Kharlachi border crossing in Kurram. The fact that the desolate and troublesome district of Kurram, an ex-FATA region, is on the map of international economics is a good omen, and must see the light of the day. The ambitious rail-network will cater to both passenger and freight services, and will surely open new vistas of trade and communication.
The salient features of the UAP Railways are encouraging. The railroad will shorten the delivery times of cargo between Uzbekistan and Pakistan by about a week, and reduce the cost of goods transportation by at least 40%. While the PCI says the project would be completed by the end of 2027, an estimated 15 million tons of cargo will be on the wheels by 2030. But what really raises eyebrows is that the terrain of Afghanistan is alien to a railway, and Pakistan’s North to this day does not have a track connectivity. In such a scenario, the strategic roadmap to build the 573km Trans-Afghan railway is a daunting challenge. The initiative must beat the down-syndrome in the region, overcome terrorism menace, and work collectively for building a regime of tariffs and preferential trade deals.
The synopsis of geo-economics is gradually picking momentum. The Central Asian states are eager to tap the opportunities of being directly linked with warm water sea ports of Iran and Pakistan. Moreover, the mushrooming of CPEC has cast the dye of multilateral development, and no stone must be left unturned to integrate the region. Many such rail linkages are indispensable to generate productivity by relying on the abundance of human resources in the region.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2023.
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