Trans-Afghan Railway: Can Uzbekistan Build a Railway Through Afghanistan to Reach the Sea?
“Proposed by Uzbekistan in December 2018 for the first time, the Trans-Afghan railway project aims to extend Afghanistan’s rail network from Mazar-i-Sharif through Kabul and Logar, before crossing into Pakistan via Kharlachi – replacing the earlier plan to run through Nangarhar Province. The railway would cross the Torkham border and pass through Peshawar into Pakistan. Once in Pakistan, cargo would be linked to the Pakistani railway system, reaching the country’s seaports of Karachi, Gwadar, and Qasim. However, in July 2023, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan finalized a different route: Termez → Naibabad → Maidanshahr → Logar → Kharlachi. This means the corridor will not pass through the Torkham border as originally described.”
“Now [with] construction scheduled to start within five months, the railway is expected to handle up to 20 million tons of cargo annually and reduce transit time from Uzbekistan to Pakistan from 35 days to 3–5 days once operational.”
“None of the parties involved in the project has provided detailed information on how the announced total costs will be distributed or where construction sites will be located. However, some observers and activists speculate that the development will require much more funding than has previously been announced.”
“According to some observers, Russia’s main strategic interests are expanding its influence in Central Asia and countering Western presence in the region. While the European Union is seeking to build the Trans-Caspian corridor in the region, Moscow could use participation in the Trans-Afghan infrastructure project to strengthen its position as the main external power around Afghanistan.”
“The project, stretching from the far north to the far south, may also offer Central Asian countries an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative…”
Source: The Times of Central Asia