Pakistan, Russia Agree To Collaborate On Rail and Road Network Linking South And Central Asia: Report

Pakistan and Russia have agreed to jointly develop a comprehensive rail and road network connecting Pakistan with Central Asia and Russia, aimed at offering landlocked countries direct access to warm water ports, according to a media report on Friday (4 July).

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Pakistan's Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Russia’s Deputy Transport Minister Andrey Sergeyevich Nikitin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial conference held in Tianjin, China.

The two countries plan to collaborate on establishing an extensive rail and road network, positioning Pakistan as a strategic transit hub for trade between Central Asia and Russia.

The initiative is expected to enhance regional economic integration and logistical connectivity, Geo News reported.

Pakistani Minister Khan outlined Islamabad’s efforts to modernise its transport infrastructure through digitisation, barrier-free motorways, mandatory e-tagging, and enhanced CCTV surveillance.

These measures, he said, aim to streamline cross-border trade and align with the country's vision for regional integration.

According to the report, Russian Deputy Minister Nikitin acknowledged the potential of Pakistan-Russia cooperation in transforming regional trade dynamics and reaffirmed Moscow's commitment to pursuing joint transport and infrastructure projects with Islamabad.

This move follows last month’s progress on the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) railway project, another significant step towards improving regional connectivity. 

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi recently agreed to expedite the finalisation of the framework agreement for the UAP corridor in a telephonic discussion.

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