ISLAMABAD, Sunday, June 1, 2025 (WNP): Pakistan and Afghanistan on Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line Project, recognizing it as a vital step toward boosting regional connectivity and economic integration.

In a telephonic conversation, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi agreed to accelerate efforts for the early finalization of the project’s framework agreement, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Minister Muttaqi welcomed Pakistan’s decision to elevate diplomatic ties with Afghanistan to the ambassadorial level and confirmed Kabul’s intention to reciprocate the move. He hailed the development as a positive milestone in strengthening bilateral relations.

The two leaders also reviewed progress on the decisions made during Senator Dar’s recent visit to Kabul on April 19, and reaffirmed their shared resolve to build mutual trust and deepen cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

Earlier, on April 24, Senator Dar had held a telephonic conversation with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich, during which the UAP railway project was a key focus.

Dar shared details of his discussions in Kabul and expressed optimism that the three countries—Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan—would soon sign the framework agreement to formalize the initiative. The two sides also discussed strengthening bilateral relations, enhancing trade and economic connectivity, encouraging people-to-people contacts, and exchanged views on pressing regional and global developments.

The proposed UAP Railway Line is expected to become a critical transport corridor, linking Central Asia with South Asia and providing landlocked countries with access to international markets via Pakistani seaports.