Pakistan, Uzbekistan seek financing roadmap for UAP Railway

Mettis Global reported that Pakistan and Uzbekistan have pledged to move forward on financeable schemes and a funding plan for the proposed Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, met an Uzbek delegation led by Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Ilzat Kasimov during a regional conference in Mongolia. Discussions centred on regional links, investment and raising international finance, and the railway was presented as an intended bridge between Central Asia and Pakistan.

Iqbal described the railway as an integrated economic corridor that would link rail lines, highways, logistics hubs, ports and industrial zones instead of functioning as a standalone project. He also proposed a joint mechanism to coordinate financing and approach international lenders and development partners for priority regional schemes. The two sides also reviewed joint ventures and investment-led trade in areas such as textiles, medicines, farming, minerals, engineering and IT.

The UAP Railway could give Central Asian countries an extra trade route and potentially raise goods movement through Pakistan's ports, according to the report. Both sides agreed that existing accords must be turned into concrete projects, backed by funding terms and delivery schedules.