Pakistan aims to build $8.2 billion rail link with Uzbekistan

Pakistan plans to build a rail link with Uzbekistan in an attempt to expand relations with Central Asian states. The project will roughly cost $8.2 billion.

The decision to build the rail link was disclosed in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Railways which was held at the Old PIPS Hall in the Parliament Lodges, reports SAMAA.

The meeting was chaired by Senator Deputy Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi. The meeting was attended by Senator Dost Muhammad, Senator Shahadat Awan, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad, Railways Ministry Secretary Zafar Ranjha, and other concerned officers.

During the meeting, Ranjha said that the government is deliberating on an Afghan Transit project which will link Pakistan with Uzbekistan.

Uzbek Ambassador to Pakistan, Oybek Usmanov met with Finance minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on Saturday. During the meeting, he apprised the Uzbek Ambassador of the potential investment avenues in Pakistan.

The Uzbek ambassador expressed the Uzbek government’s strong desire to improve trade, investment, and business relations with Pakistan on a variety of fronts.