China and Pakistan Meet in Islamabad to Expand Four-Party Transit Route Connecting Central Asia
Chinese and Pakistani officials held a joint meeting in Islamabad to discuss effective implementation and expansion of the four-party transit agreement aimed at linking China and Pakistan’s seaports to Central Asian countries.
Sadiq Khan, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, stated that this route is designed through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and could provide regional countries access to Pakistan’s seaports. According to him, transit traffic along this route has increased in recent months, a process that began several years ago.
During the meeting, Chinese and Pakistani officials emphasized that with some technical and administrative reforms, the route could become more efficient and organized, increasing its cargo transfer capacity.
Currently, Pakistan’s main transit route to Central Asia passes through Afghanistan, but this path has been closed for some time due to disputes between Pakistan and the Taliban administration. This situation has forced Islamabad to seek alternative routes for market access and goods transportation.
Economic experts warn that the implementation of this project could weaken Afghanistan’s position in regional transit and reduce trade and economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. This outcome would predominantly have negative consequences for Afghanistan’s economy and its traders.
