Islamabad: Kazakhstan and Pakistan have established a new trade route, the Trans-Afghan Multimodal Corridor. This route connects northeastern Kazakhstan to the port of Jebel Ali in the UAE, passing through Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The corridor aims to facilitate trade between Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.
The collaboration between KZT Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Railway, QazTrade Center for Trade Policy Development Company, and Pakistan’s National Logistic Corporation has been instrumental in launching this corridor.
The corridor is projected to handle up to 20 million tons of cargo annually, connecting a vast region spanning from Europe to Southeast Asia.
Pilot projects
To demonstrate the viability of this trade route, two pilot projects have been successfully implemented.
The first involved the transportation of goods from Kazakhstan to the UAE via Afghanistan and Pakistan. A shipment of two 21-ton trucks carrying products from the Pavlodar Special Economic Zone was successfully delivered to Jebel Ali Port in a timeframe of 20 days.
This pilot project has showcased the potential for efficient transportation of Kazakh goods to the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
In a reciprocal move, Pakistan has also successfully transported goods to Azerbaijan via the Trans-Afghan Corridor.
A pharmaceutical shipment was successfully delivered from Karachi to Baku in 21 days, traversing Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan before being shipped across the Caspian Sea. This pilot project has encouraged Pakistani exporters to explore new markets in Central Asia, Russia, Belarus, the Caucasus region, and Europe.
The Trans-Afghan Railway Corridor
It Features a 573-kilometer rail track that will link Central Asia to the ports of Pakistan. The route will pass through Termiz in Uzbekistan, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Logar in Afghanistan, culminating in Pakistan via the Kharlachi border in Kurram District, reaching Kohat District where a rail link already exists.
The governments of Pakistan and Kazakhstan have expressed their commitment to expanding the Trans-Afghan Corridor to encompass broader economic cooperation, including energy trade and job creation.
Future prospects
To expedite the development of the Trans-Afghan Multimodal Corridor, a Joint Working Group has been established to address key issues such as tariff rates, digitalization, and border infrastructure.
A consortium is being formed to oversee the project, with an estimated cost of $5 billion.
Kazakhstan, with its strategic geographic location, is poised to become a crucial transit hub. The country is actively involved in the Trans-Afghan Railway Corridor project, including the supply of railway materials.
Pakistan, as a key player, is leveraging its logistic capabilities to contribute to the success of the multimodal corridor.