ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will sign a joint appeal to the World Bank (WB) for investing around $4.8 billion in rail link among Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in the near future.
The development came during a meeting with the delegation of Uzbekistan that had called on PM Imran here on Tuesday. The Uzbek delegation was led by Uzbek Minister for Transport Makhamov Ilkhom and included First Deputy Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Kudratov Laziz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sidiqov Furqat and Charge d`Affairs of Uzbekistan to Pakistan Tashmatov Sadulla.
It may be noted that Presidents of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have already signed the trilateral joint.
The meeting discussed the Trans Afghan Rail Project that would connect Pakistan and Uzbekistan via Afghanistan, while the dignitaries highlighted matters pertaining to the mutual interest and cargo train service. Central Asian Republics (CARs) would also be able to join in the project later.
In this regard, Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati vowed to strengthen the regional economy by executing joint ventures with CARs.
Under the trilateral joint venture, a 573 kilometres long railway track would be laid with 27 railway stations, 912 different structures and seven tunnels.
The shortest track would run from Peshawar to Kabul, and from Kabul via Mazar Sharif to Uzbekistan.
