Engineering Post Report
The Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project planned at the appropriate levels concerned is being regarded to also become a game changer and emerge as a key connectivity hub for Central Asian countries..
This somewhat ambitious railway project spanning over a total of 760 kilometers is planned to traverse through Termiz in Uzbekistan, Logar and Maqzar Sharif in Afghanistan ultimately with Kihat railway track in Pakistan.
Experts believe that if the project is implemented as being planned then it will not only grant Pakistan an access to Central Asian and Russian markets but also reduce goods transportation costs from Uzbekistan to Pakistan by about 40 percent besides slashing delivery time by five days.
Projected for completion in 2027, the project is expected to serve as a catalyst for promoting and boosting trade, regional tourism by reducing the travelling costs.
It may also be mentioned here that project participating countries Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan have finalized the shortest possible route for the railway track and have already signed a joint protocol in this matter.
Landlocked Central Asian nations, the experts hoped, will get direct access to Pakistan’s seaports in Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar thus facilitating connections to the Middle East and Africa.
Afghanistan is heavily dependent on Pakistan for trade and will also greatly benefit from the new railway project as goods transported via rail to Mazar Sharif will then easily and effectively be distributed throughout Afghanistan by road.
The construction and operation of the railway track is also expected to generate substantial employment opportunities , hopefully making quite a positive impact on the local workforce.
