Naibabad Rail Link Boosts Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Trade Corridor
Uzbekistan Railways has announced that a 1,000-meter auxiliary railway line has been constructed at Naibabad station along the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway in Afghanistan.
The purpose of this line is to accelerate cargo transport, reduce congestion, and improve trade flows between the two countries.
The company added that the volume of cargo transfer between the two countries is increasing, and the Hairatan-Naibabad-Mazar-e-Sharif route has become one of the key regional trade corridors.
Abdul Shakoor Hadawal, an economic analyst, said: "Through railway lines, connectivity between Kabul and Tashkent can be further strengthened, the economy can grow, and at the same time, transfers between the two countries can be carried out more quickly and at lower cost."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Works says the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway is one of the key rail corridors between Kabul and Tashkent, and the Naibabad project is part of Afghanistan's efforts to expand its railway network.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the ministry, added: "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is trying, on the one hand, to provide more facilities to national traders and, on the other, to increase transportation through various routes."
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan are cooperating on three major railway projects: the reconstruction of the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif line, the Trans-Afghan project (still in the feasibility study phase), and the Herat-Mazar-e-Sharif project, whose technical work is being carried out by Uzbekistan.
Shams-ur-Rahman Ahmadzai, another economic analyst, emphasized the importance of these projects: "Afghanistan is among the countries with a strong geographic position in the region. If these projects are implemented, they will have a positive impact on our economy and can also help expand connectivity between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf."
Uzbekistan Railways stressed that Afghanistan plays a key role in linking Central Asia to South Asia, and that Naibabad station could become a major transit hub for transporting goods from countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, and China to the markets of Pakistan and India.
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