In a major development, Pakistan has sought permission from Afghanistan for the land survey of the Wakhan corridor to assess the possibility of establishing a road link with the land locked Tajikistan.
An official source said that the proposal was given at the Pak-Afghan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting on November 23. The Afghan side assured a positive response after discussing the said issue with the government.
The matter was proposed at the JEC meeting as Tajikistan had already approached both the governments for joining the bilateral Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement. Tajikistan wants to use Pakistani ports for its imports and exports. Pakistan supports joining of Tajikistan in the agreement. However, Afghanistan has linked it with Pakistan’s permission of direct access to Afghan trucks to Indian border and beyond.
It is important to mention that the Wakhan corridor is a small strip in northern Afghanistan that separates Pakistan from Tajikistan. The establishment of road link through Wakhan corridor is under consideration for the last many years to provide a direct transport link between Tajikistan and Pakistani seaports.