Afghanistan offers security to railway project

[FOOLS_NIGHTMARE]

Afghanistan has offered Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia complete security and safety to the rail service envisaging access to various Central Asian states up to Karachi and Gwadar ports.

The access to Pakistan’s ports will enable the countries, especially Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, to export their goods to several countries through sea routes, according to a senior official of the Pakistan Railways.

“Under the Trans-Afghan Railways’ plan devised by the authorities in Pakistan and Afghanistan, two routes are being considered to connect Mazar-i-Sharif (Afghanistan) with Peshawar (Pakistan). One route is 700km long and another 900km. Besides this, four proposals related to financial arrangement, feasibility, etc., regarding these routes are being worked out,” Pakistan Railways’ chairman Dr Habibur Rehman Gilani told Dawn on Thursday.

Pakistan believes that easy communication, swift transportation and minimised trade barriers are key to economic growth, as these measures lead to comprehensive and inclusive growth of the whole region. Thus, regional connectivity is inevitable to attain economic growth. Keeping in view the situation, the federal government started working on increasing the regional connectivity through rail network.


A two-day conference of the multilateral Joint Working Group was held through a video link a couple of days ago to discuss the flagship project of Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar rail corridor. Representatives of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Kazakhstan attended it.

The conference, presided over by Secretary/Chairman of Railways Habibur Rehman Gilani, was attended by the representatives of various ministries of Pakistan.

The project, which strongly supports the 2017-30 Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation region railway strategy, intends to equip the region’s railways to better capture evolving trade flows and contribute to regional economic development by improving rail and multimodal infrastructure and commercialising and reforming railway activities.

Uzbekistan is already connected through rail network with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan.

Mr Gilani said all participants of the virtual conference were unanimous to speed up the process for laying track from Mazar-i-Sharif to Peshawar via Kabul.

“During the conference, a work plan / line of action and protocols to proceed further were also signed by the respective countries’ representatives,” he said, adding that Kazakhstan had also expressed its interest in financing the Rs30bn project for rehabilitation of the decaying up /down railway track from Khanpur to Kotri (over 850km) -- a portion frequently witnessing accidents since long.

In December last year, Pakistan had signed a letter with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and sent it to international funding institutions reportedly seeking $4.8 billion loan for trans-Afghan rail project.

Afghanistan offers security to railway project

The access to Pakistan’s ports will enable Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia to export their goods to several countries.

www.dawn.com

 

[313ghazi]

This is great on paper, but in reality they need to be able to evidence the capability to provide security.

Part 1 of that is by ending the presence of non-govt armed groups in Afghanistan. Otherwise promises of security are the same as those Pakistan has made for Balochistan, near worthless.

 

[FuturePAF]

Is there any indication there is a planned Rail line to be laid directly from Gwadar straight north to the line between Quetta and Iran. A link between Gwadar and Quetta could make the link with Central Asia more viable if a line between Quetta and Turkmenistan is built, or a line inside Afghanistan is built connecting Quetta to Kabul and linking up with the planned Peshawar - Uzbekistan Line.

 

[FuturePAF]

If there is already a rail line between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, wouldn’t it be cheaper and more efficient to run a Train line from Gwadar straight north to to connect to the rail line between Iran and Quetta. Then, extend the rail line from Quetta through the relatively lflat land of Kandahar and Herat to Turkmenistan. It’s also closer to exporting products to Europe if shipped across the Caspian to Azerbaijan; bypassing Iran all together, if that becomes a political issue.

unless there is a reluctance on the part of Turkmenistan, wouldn’t this be the cheapest and shortest route (saving time for certain products that are more perishable)

Presumably, less security risks dealing with northeastern Afghans Near Jalalabad and Kunar. Also, the sooner this is up and running, with Afghans seeing a Chinese project underway, those that have some animus with Pakistan, will have to realize where their bread is buttered; as Pakistani and Chinese economic cooperation is one, and they better get on board or run out of options.

This may not be the best option, but it’s the fastest and cheapest to build, and makes Gwadar a more viable location for processing raw materials going between the Indian Ocean Rim (Africa) and Central Asia (Afghanistan and the CARs) and on to markets in the Middle East and Europe.

 

[Hammad ur Rehman]

First phase should consist of Mazar-e-Sharif - Kabul - Jalalabad - Peshawar - Kotri thru existing west of Indus or Indus Right Bank line which would need to be updated.

Second phase should be a line connecting Gwadar to Nokundi on Quetta - Zahedan line.

Third phase a new line be built from Turkmenistan's border to Herat - Shindanad - Qandhar - Chaman with a short link in between to Nokundi - Gwadar line.

Fourth phase new lines to be built to link Qandhar to Kabul & Kabul to Herat.