- I thank Uzbek and Afghan FMs for their support and commitment to timely signing of the agreement: Dar
- DPM Dar, Hanif Abbasi also meet FM Muttaqi, PM and Interior Minister and agree to remain engaged to achieve the full potential of regional economic development: FO
- Both sides call for maintaining ‘momentum in bilateral relations’ and expanding cooperation in trade, transit and security sectors
KABUL/ISLAMABAD : Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, on Thursday headed the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway, reaffirming the shared commitment to peace, connectivity, trade, and regional development.
The signing ceremony of the UAP Railway Project was held in Kabul on Thursday.
Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made the announcement through a post on X from Kabul, where he arrived earlier today on a day-long visit for the signing.
I congratulate the people & governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan on the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link under the Uzbek–Afghan–Pak (UAP) Railway Corridor.
I also thank the Foreign Ministers… pic.twitter.com/HdVw4jm3Nt
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) July 17, 2025
“I congratulate the people and governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan on the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Naibabad–Kharlachi rail link under the UAP Railway Corridor.
“I also thank the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan for their support and commitment to the timely signing of the agreement. We remained closely engaged throughout the negotiation process to finalize the details.”
He hailed the UAP Railway Corridor as a major milestone in advancing regional connectivity and economic integration that would connect Central Asian countries to Pakistani seaports through Afghanistan.
Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister @MIshaqDar50, along with the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, held a trilateral meeting in Kabul ahead of the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for Uzbek-Afghan-Pak (UAP) Railway project.… pic.twitter.com/glFdS8Kpf0
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2025
Dar said the signing of today’s agreement was a result of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership and commitment, who had tasked him as finance minister of the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government to lead the effort with the countries.
“We collectively laid the foundation for this transformational project.”
Later, Dar held a trilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. The meeting reinforced the strong ties between the three nations and their mutual commitment to peace, connectivity, trade, and regional development.
The participants highlighted the importance of continued cooperation to unlock the region’s economic potential and ensure sustained prosperity for their peoples.
In 2023, the three countries agreed on the UAP Railway project to build a rail link, which will pass through Termiz in Uzbekistan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, and enter Pakistan via the Kharlachi border crossing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project will facilitate regional, transit, and bilateral trade amongst participating countries while supporting both passenger and freight services.
Dar arrived in Kabul earlier Thursday, accompanied by Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi, the special representative for Afghanistan, and the secretary of the Ministry of Railways.
The Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan, for the signing of the trilateral Framework Agreement on Joint Feasibility Study for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project.
He is accompanied by… pic.twitter.com/jHSbQ1NaTr
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2025
Dar and Abbasi later met acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
According to the Foreign Office (FO), both sides called for maintaining “the momentum in bilateral relations” and expanding cooperation in the trade, transit, and security sectors.
Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met with the Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
The two sides called for strengthened efforts to maintain the momentum in bilateral relations and to expand cooperation in trade,… pic.twitter.com/Ge6eYhkDAX
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2025
“They agreed to remain engaged to achieve the full potential of regional economic development, including through [the] realization of trans-regional connectivity projects,” the FO wrote on X.
On the sidelines of the signing ceremony of UAP Railway Corridor, Dar met with Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund.
On the sidelines of the signing ceremony for the Framework Agreement on Joint Feasibility Study of the UAP Railway Corridor, DPM/FM, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 called on the Afghan Prime Minister, Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund.
The two leaders exchanged views on… pic.twitter.com/O1HNYepiiN
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2025
The two leaders exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including peace and security, trade and transit cooperation, and regional connectivity.
The two leaders discussed key issues of mutual interest, including peace and security, trade and transit cooperation, and regional connectivity.
Recalling their previous meeting on April 19, 2025, both reaffirmed their commitment to sustained engagement and agreed to continue high-level contacts to enhance bilateral relations.
In a meeting with acting Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, both sides held in-depth discussions on security matters and reaffirmed the importance of eradicating threats to regional countries.
A meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 and Mr. Sirajuddin Haqqani, Acting Interior Minister of Afghanistan took place on the sidelines of the signing ceremony for the Framework Agreement on Joint Feasibility Study… pic.twitter.com/nqoSZzTj6S
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2025
FM Dar underlined the importance of addressing all issues of concern, in particular security and border management, to harness the full potential of economic cooperation and regional connectivity.
Earlier in the day, the FO said the railway project aimed to build a rail link to connect Uzbekistan with Pakistan via Afghanistan and facilitate access to Pakistani seaports for Central Asian states.
“By facilitating regional trade and transit, the project is expected to promote regional stability, growth, and development.”
🔊 PR No2️⃣0️⃣8️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣
Curtain Raiser: Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar to Visit Afghanistan for Signing of Framework Agreement on Joint Feasibility Study of UAP Railway Project
🔗⬇️https://t.co/2IHO0Qwyiy pic.twitter.com/lgrfPbZEq1— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2025
It added that the agreement between the three participating countries will be an “important step towards its implementation.”
“During the visit, the deputy prime minister (Dar) will also hold a meeting with the Afghan acting foreign minister and will call on [the] acting prime minister of Afghanistan to discuss bilateral matters and exchange views on regional and international developments,” it said.
Last week, Dar spoke with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and discussed progress on the Framework Agreement for the project.
Pakistan-Afghanistan-Uzbekistan (UAP) Railway project
In 2023, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan reached an agreement on the UAP Railway project, aiming to establish a rail link that will connect Termiz in Uzbekistan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, and enter Pakistan through the Kharlachi border crossing in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The UAP railway project—for both passenger and freight services—will not only facilitate regional, transit, and bilateral trade but will also provide better connectivity to the peoples across the region.
