Memorandum for Kandahar and Jalalabad railways

Posted on by Andrew Grantham

Has anyone got a copy of the text of the joint communique?

Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to establish rail links

By Sajid Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for establishing the Torkham-Jalalabad and Chaman-Spinboldak-Kandhar rail links.

The MoU, covering feasibility studies for both the projects, was signed by Federal Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour and Afghan Finance Minister Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal on Wednesday.

However, both countries failed to break the deadlock over the transit facility for Indian goods that would be sent to Afghanistan via Pakistan under the proposed Afghan -Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA).
[More…]
Source: Daily Times, 2010-07-08

The Jalalabad plan presumably means rehabilitating the Khyber Pass line and then extending it over the border into Afghanistan for the first time.

One thought on “Memorandum for Kandahar and Jalalabad railways”

  1. More from APP at MoU signed for Peshawar-Jalalabad rail link; WB to provide $1.5 mln, 9 July 2010.

    Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour … told the agency that under MoU, Pakistan would be responsible for Peshawar-Torkham rail Link and Afghanistan would be managing the Torkham-Jalalabad Link.
    He said a joint declaration signed during the visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Pakistan in March this year had assigned priority to the construction of rail link from Peshawar to Jalalabad.
    The minister said Pakistan will take steps for the construction of Chaman-Spin Boldak Railway link subject to availability of funds and land acquisition required for the project and right of the way for smooth implementation of the project would be accomplished by both the governments in their respective areas.
    …
    The minister said Pakistan will provide technical support including training of railway management team, engineers and technical personnel to the Afghan railway authorities.
    …
    The railways minister said a working group comprising representatives from ministries of railways, finance, economic affairs, commerce and customs authorities of both the countries would coordinate efforts undertaken by both the countries to speed up completion of respective feasibility studies and construction of rail links.

    Reply

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