Pakistan and Russia have agreed to jointly develop an extensive rail and road network to link South Asia with Central Asia and Russia, aiming to give landlocked nations direct access to warm-water ports. The move is seen as a strategic step toward speeding up infrastructure projects across the region to enhance trade and promote economic integration. The agreement was reached during a meeting between Pakistan’s federal minister for communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Russian deputy minister of transport Andrey Sergeyevich Nikitin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial conference in Tianjin, China, reported PTI.The goal is to position Pakistan as a key transit hub by improving logistical routes and trade corridors extending toward Russia and Central Asia.Minister Khan shared that Pakistan is upgrading its transport infrastructure with measures such as digitisation, barrier-free motorways, mandatory e-tagging and extensive CCTV surveillance. These reforms aim to streamline cross-border trade and improve regional connectivity.Deputy minister Nikitin acknowledged the value of Pakistan-Russia collaboration in reshaping regional trade and confirmed Russia’s commitment to joint transport and infrastructure initiatives with Islamabad.In a related regional development, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to expedite the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) rail project.Pakistan’s deputy PM Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan’s acting FM Amir Khan Muttaqi discussed the project over a phone call, agreeing to work towards finalising a framework agreement.The railway project is seen as a crucial step toward connecting Pakistan with Central Asia through Afghanistan, enhancing regional interconnectivity and trade prospects.