Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attended the signing ceremony of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link under the Uzbek–Afghan–Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor in Kabul on Thursday.
Taking to X, Dar congratulated the leadership of the three countries, saying, "I congratulate the people & governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan on the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link under the UAP Railway Corridor."
Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met with Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, along with senior-level delegations from both sides. pic.twitter.com/hmf3zZ6bl4
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2025
He was accompanied by special representative for Afghanistan, and Railways minister and secretary. Dar also met with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Both sides agreed on the need to strengthen efforts to maintain the momentum in bilateral relations and to expand cooperation in trade, transit, and security for the mutual benefit of both nations.
They also agreed to remain engaged to fully realise the potential for regional economic development, particularly through improved trans-regional connectivity.
He also thanked the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan for their support and commitment to the timely signing of the agreement, stating, "We remained closely engaged throughout the negotiation process to finalise the details."
Read More: Pak-Uzbek-Afghan rail link route finalised
Describing the UAP Railway Corridor as a significant milestone, Dar said, "This will connect Central Asian countries to Pakistani seaports through Afghanistan."
He further credited the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, for laying the foundation of the project.
"The signing of today’s agreement is a result of the leadership & commitment of the last PDM Government (2022–23), under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, when I was tasked as finance minister to lead this effort with brotherly countries. Together, we collectively laid the foundation for this transformational project," he added.
Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister @MIshaqDar50, along with the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, held a trilateral meeting in Kabul ahead of the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for Uzbek-Afghan-Pak (UAP) Railway project.… pic.twitter.com/glFdS8Kpf0
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2025
Later, Dar held a trilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. The meeting reinforced the strong ties between the three nations and their mutual commitment to peace, connectivity, trade, and regional development.
The participants highlighted the importance of continued cooperation to unlock the region’s economic potential and ensure sustained prosperity for their peoples.
What is UAP Railway Project
In 2023, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan reached an agreement on the UAP Railway project, aiming to establish a rail link that will connect Termiz in Uzbekistan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, and enter Pakistan through the Kharlachi border crossing in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The UAP railway project – for both passenger and freight services – will not only facilitate regional, transit, and bilateral trade, but will also provide better connectivity to the peoples across the region.
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