Latest news with #regionalConnectivity
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan, Uzbekistan launch direct air link to deepen regional connectivity
KARACHI: Pakistan on Saturday hosted the inaugural direct flight by Uzbekistan Airways between Islamabad and Tashkent, marking yet another step toward enhanced regional connectivity and deeper economic ties with Central Asia. Pakistan has been pushing to forge stronger trade links with landlocked Central Asian nations by offering access to its Arabian Sea ports. While several regional states border Afghanistan, Uzbekistan is seen as a strategic gateway due to its central location in the region and its larger economy. 'The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) proudly hosted the inaugural flight ceremony of Uzbekistan Airlines' direct service from Islamabad to Tashkent (Flight HY466), marking a significant milestone in enhancing regional air connectivity and people-to-people ties between Pakistan and Central Asia,' said a PAA statement. The flight, carrying 126 passengers, departed Islamabad at 1:09 p.m. on Saturday, following a festive check-in at Zone 1 of the international airport adorned with balloons, the statement said. It informed that ambassadors from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan attended the ceremony, joined by airport officials, tourism executives and Uzbekistan Airlines' country manager. Pakistan is also advancing plans for a railway link connecting Uzbekistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi and Uzbek officials about the proposed 573‑km Uzbekistan‑Afghanistan‑Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project. The corridor aims to link Tashkent with Kabul and Peshawar, enhancing freight movement and reducing transit time by up to several days. The overland route via Afghanistan connects Pakistan's road and rail network through the mountainous frontier into Afghanistan and onward to Central Asia, offering an alternative to existing northbound trade routes.
Arab News
31-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan's deputy PM discusses trans-Afghan railway with Uzbek foreign minister
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held a phone call with his Uzbek counterpart on Saturday to discuss steps toward advancing the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) railway project, including the framework agreement and its signing mechanism, said the foreign office. The UAP railway is a trilateral initiative aimed at enhancing regional connectivity by linking Central Asia with Pakistan's southern ports of Gwadar and Karachi through Afghanistan. Envisioned in 2021, the project is expected to improve trade access for landlocked countries and bolster economic integration in the region. 'Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, held a telephone conversation today with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister, Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich @FM_Saidov,' the foreign office said in a social media post on X. 'They discussed the modalities for early finalization of the framework agreement for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line Project, including details of its signing ceremony in consultation with leadership of Afghanistan,' it added. The conversation came a day after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to upgrade diplomatic relations, with Islamabad announcing it would elevate its chargé d'affaires in Kabul to ambassadorial rank. Kabul said it would reciprocate the move. Ties between the two countries have been tense in recent years, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan's Taliban administration of harboring militants involved in cross-border attacks, leading to a deportation drive against undocumented Afghan nationals. The Taliban have denied facilitating any violence inside Pakistan and criticized the deportations. Efforts to ease tensions between the two neighboring countries also gained momentum in recent months. During a trilateral meeting with Chinese officials in Beijing, Pakistan and Afghanistan announced plans to exchange ambassadors. Afghan authorities have also said Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is due to visit Pakistan 'in the coming days.' The UAP railway, first agreed in February 2021, envisions a 573-kilometer track linking Tashkent to Peshawar via Kabul, with an estimated cost of $4.8 billion. The project faces significant logistical challenges, including security concerns in Afghanistan and the need to reconcile different railway gauges across the three countries. However, Pakistan has already sent agricultural consignments to Uzbekistan last year. Implementation of the UAP railway is expected to further deepen trade ties among the three nations.
