Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan outlined six potential trade routes to strengthen regional connectivity during his speech at the Kazan Forum in Tatarstan. He emphasized Pakistan’s role in linking Iran and Afghanistan to Russia through rail and road networks.
Key discussions at the forum included trade routes from Karachi, Quetta, and Gwadar to Central Asia and Europe. Abdul Aleem Khan highlighted several proposed corridors, including a road network from Iran to Azerbaijan and Russia, a Karachi-Moscow route via China and Kazakhstan, and a Gwadar-Moscow link through Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. He clarified that Pakistan is not just a transit country but a key partner in regional trade under agreements like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The minister shared updates on major infrastructure projects, including the $633 million Mazar-e-Sharif-Kohat rail link and the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M6), calling them attractive investment opportunities. He also mentioned progress on a pilot train project to Russia via Iran and noted that Pakistan provides warm-water access to landlocked nations. Additionally, the National Logistics Cell (NLC) has been offering cargo services to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan since 2023.
Abdul Aleem Khan congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin and thanked Deputy Prime Minister Murat Khasnolin and Transport Minister Roman Starovet for their hospitality. He praised the Kazan Forum as a beneficial platform for participating nations and highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate trade and tourism, including visa-on-arrival for 126 countries and 12,500 visas issued to business travelers and tourists.
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