Pak, Russia to ‘expand’ road, rail link for access to warm waters

Pakistan and Russia have agreed to collaborate on establishing a robust rail and road network to link the South Asian country with Central Asia and Russia, providing landlocked states direct access to warm waters, a media report said on Friday.

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Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Russian Deputy Minister of Transport Andrey Sergeyevich Nikitin, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial conference in Tianjin, China, agreed to accelerate infrastructure development across the region to facilitate trade and economic integration.

The initiative aims to transform Pakistan into a strategic transit hub by enhancing trade corridors and logistical routes extending to Russia and Central Asia, Geo News reported. Highlighting Pakistan’s ongoing modernisation efforts, Khan said the country was digitising its transport infrastructure, introducing barrier-free motorways, mandatory e-tagging and comprehensive CCTV surveillance.

Deputy Minister Nikitin acknowledged the potential of Pakistan-Russia cooperation in transforming regional trade dynamics and reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to pursuing joint transport and infrastructure projects with Islamabad.