Uzbekistan And Pakistan Agree In Principle To Route More Trade Through China

A provisional protocol would steer more freight across Chinese territory as Islamabad and Tashkent seek alternatives to a tense Afghan land link.

Uzbek and Pakistani officials have signaled a move to broaden overland commerce by routing shipments through China, according to Pakistani reporting. The measure, expected to be formalized soon, is intended to keep goods flowing between the two countries while border tensions with Afghanistan continue to disrupt traditional transit paths. Officials in Tashkent have set an ambitious goal to expand trade to roughly three times its current annual level, and the new agreement is aimed at creating reliable options in the near term.

For years Uzbek leaders have talked about building a rail line through Afghanistan to shorten the trip to Pakistani seaports. But frozen ties between Islamabad and Kabul and repeated closures of the main frontier crossings have made that plan uncertain. As a result, both governments appear to be preparing to rely on routes that detour north into China before turning south into Pakistan, even if those paths are longer.

A multi-country rail project linking Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan into China's network is under construction and would eventually offer a direct rail link to Chinese routes feeding Pakistan. But that rail corridor remains several years from completion. Trade officials say the initial protocol would mostly cover truck-borne transit using existing Chinese highways and border points, while the longer-term rail option develops.

Central Asian neighbors are already testing similar alternatives. Kyrgyzstan ran a trial shipment to Pakistan over China earlier this year and has moved to strengthen ties with Islamabad. Analysts in Karachi and Tashkent say the shift could boost business at ports such as Karachi and Gwadar but would also raise logistics costs and deepen reliance on Chinese customs and infrastructure. A Lahore-based transport specialist warned the change could sideline Afghan transit revenue and complicate regional supply chains if not paired with strong coordination and streamlined border procedures.

Negotiations are ongoing and details remain thin. Traders in both countries say they want quick, predictable routes, and officials insist the protocol will prioritize uninterrupted movement of cargo. But until rail links are finished and paperwork is harmonized, many shipments will probably travel the longer road through China, at least for the next few years.