Pakistan and Afghanistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to complete a railway track between Chaman (Pakistan) and Spin Bodlik (Afghanistan), according to an official statement. The work on the laying of railway track between both the cities would take around one year to complete after the start of work, Pakistan Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on the occasion. He around 10.5 km of track would be laid at a cost of Rs 700 million. The MoU also included that Pakistan Railways would complete feasibility study for laying of track between Spinbudlak and Kandhar. The minister termed it a happy augury and said this link will go a long way in furthering brotherly relations between both the neighbours. He recalled that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and President Hamid Karzai had agreed to lay track between both the cities of Pakistan and Afghanistan last year. Ahmed said Pakistan in the first phase would provide all required infrastructure to introduce railway system up to Spin Boldik in Afghanistan. Deputy Minister of Work Afghanistan Dr. Eng. Rasooli said that Afghanistan being a landlocked country was in dire need of having railway system. We are happy that work is being initiated on the project. Our brotherly country like Pakistan has come forward and is helping us to introduce railway system for the first time. He said it would not only be beneficial for bilateral trade but also go forward in further deepening the roots of brotherly and friendly ties. The Afghan minister said in the second phase, the track would be extended up to Kandhar (Afghanistan) and from there up to Khushka through Herat. He thanked the government of Pakistan for this gesture.
