Pakistan and Russia have agreed to advance efforts to enhance regional connectivity through expanded road and rail infrastructure linking the two countries via Central Asia, a move aimed at facilitating regional trade and strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.
The understanding was reached during a bilateral meeting between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Russia’s Deputy Minister of Transport Andrey Sergeyevich Nikitin. The meeting took place on the closing day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Ministerial Conference held in Tianjin, China, according to a press release issued Thursday.
During the discussions, both sides stressed the need to accelerate the construction of regional highways to establish smoother trade corridors across Central Asia. It was noted that enabling access for landlocked Central Asian states to Pakistan’s warm-water ports could unlock substantial trade potential for the broader region.
Abdul Aleem Khan briefed the Russian delegation on Pakistan’s ongoing modernization drive in the transport and communications sector. He highlighted key initiatives, including the digitization of highway monitoring systems, nationwide deployment of CCTV networks, and the upcoming transition to barrier-free motorways through mandatory electronic toll collection (e-tagging).
Deputy Minister Nikitin welcomed Pakistan’s progress and reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to advancing joint infrastructure projects. He said both countries have a shared opportunity to play a catalytic role in facilitating regional trade through improved connectivity.
The meeting also included an exchange of views on the outcomes of the SCO Ministerial Conference and the broader regional cooperation agenda. The Pakistani delegation, led by Abdul Aleem Khan, played an active role in the three-day summit and engaged in several bilateral meetings with ministers from other member states. Chinese Minister of Transport Liu Wei officially received the Pakistani delegation during the event.
Accompanying the federal minister were the Federal Secretary for Communications and senior officials from Pakistan’s transport ministry. In his address to the conference, Abdul Aleem Khan emphasized Pakistan’s progress in communications infrastructure and highlighted recent agreements with partner countries.
He also underlined the strategic importance of regional land connectivity through corridors linking Pakistan with China and Afghanistan, calling it essential for unlocking trade potential and integration across Asia. Additionally, he showcased reforms and revenue growth achieved by the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the motorway network over the past 15 months, which he said reflect the government’s broader vision for infrastructure-led growth.
The meeting in Tianjin marks a renewed commitment between Pakistan and Russia to expand cooperation in the transportation sector and strengthen their roles as gateways for trade across Central and South Asia.
