By Khawaja Hamza

Islamabad — Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan met with Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional connectivity initiatives, with particular focus on strengthening collaboration in the railway sector.

During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding railway cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Discussions covered railway infrastructure development, freight operations, logistics, and the exchange of technical expertise aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and regional integration.

The minister emphasized the strategic importance of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor, describing it as a landmark project that will significantly boost regional trade and economic connectivity. He noted that the corridor is expected to provide Central Asian countries with direct access to Pakistani seaports, creating new opportunities for commerce and transit.

Muhammad Hanif Abbasi reiterated Pakistan’s full commitment to the timely completion of the UAP Railway Corridor, highlighting its potential to transform regional transportation networks and facilitate greater economic cooperation across South and Central Asia.

Both parties underscored the need to strengthen institutional links between the railway authorities of Pakistan and Uzbekistan to ensure sustained collaboration and effective implementation of joint initiatives.

The minister stated that Pakistan highly values its longstanding and brotherly relations with Uzbekistan and expressed confidence that enhanced cooperation would open new avenues for regional connectivity, economic growth, and shared prosperity.

The Uzbek ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev in turn, expressed keen interest in further deepening cooperation with Pakistan across multiple sectors, particularly in railways and transport infrastructure.یہ