ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to advance cooperation on a proposed railway corridor designed to connect Central Asia with Pakistan’s seaports, officials said following high-level talks in Islamabad.
The project was discussed during a meeting between Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi and Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, where both sides reviewed plans for enhanced regional connectivity through rail infrastructure.
According to officials, the proposed railway network would link Karachi Port with Kazakhstan via Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, with an additional extension through Chaman near the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Preparatory work on the route has already been completed.
The Pakistan–Kazakhstan Rail Connectivity Project is estimated to cost around $7 billion and is expected to be completed within three years once formal agreements are finalised.
Railways Minister Abbasi said the project aligns with the prime minister’s regional connectivity vision and is regarded as strategically significant for trade, transit and economic integration across Central and South Asia.
An agreement framework for the project is expected to be signed during the visit of Kazakhstan’s president to Pakistan on February 3, 2026, officials said.
Authorities believe the rail corridor could significantly reduce transport costs, improve access to warm-water ports for Central Asian states and create new trade routes linking Pakistan with Eurasian markets.
