Afghan-Trans Project Launched to Link Central and South Asia
The total length of this strategic railway is reported to be 681 kilometers through Afghanistan.
Following the launch of the TAPI project, Afghanistan is now witnessing another major stride in regional connectivity, the “Afghan-Trans” project. This is the second and largest regional initiative under the Islamic Emirate, aimed at linking Central Asia with South Asia.
Most recently, the feasibility study agreement for the project was signed in Kabul between Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport, and Pakistan’s Railway Authority.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said: “The feasibility study agreement for this project was signed yesterday in the presence of officials from all three countries at the Presidential Palace of the Islamic Emirate. The railway line will start in Uzbekistan, pass through Afghanistan, and connect to Pakistan, with about 680 kilometers of the route crossing Afghan territory.”
The total length of this strategic railway is reported to be 681 kilometers through Afghanistan, linking Central Asian countries to the ports of Gwadar and Karachi in Pakistan.
Afghan officials believe this project could significantly boost Afghanistan’s role in regional economic relations and offer opportunities for increased trade, transit, and infrastructure development.
Economic expert Abdul Zahoor Mudaber said: “Standard transportation forms the foundation of a thriving economy. One way we can grow the economy is by becoming a transit bridge between countries, especially between Central and South Asia. Afghan-Trans can serve as a strong link between the two regions.”
According to analysts, a new chapter of regional cooperation centered around Afghanistan could reshape the regional economic map, enhance trade, increase transit revenues, create thousands of jobs, and improve infrastructure within the country.
Economic analyst Abdul Nasir Rashtia stated: “The Afghan-Trans project is of great strategic importance to Afghanistan and the region. Once completed, it could lead to deeper regional integration, which would bring lasting peace and stability. Afghanistan’s geostrategic location enables it to connect Central and South Asia, and the project’s implementation will raise investor confidence in the country.”
The estimated construction cost of the project ranges between $4.8 and $7 billion, and it is expected to be completed by 2027. Once finished, Afghanistan will transform from a landlocked country into a major regional economic corridor.
Reference Link:- https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-195069
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
