Central Asia Accessing Pakistani Sea Ports that Bypass Afghanistan

(Syed Fazl-e-Haider – The Jamestown Foundation) Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Transport and Communications announced the successful implementation of a pilot transport project on the Kyrgyzstan–China–Pakistan route on April 24. The new 2,000-mile route through the People’s Republic of China is an important step for Kyrgyzstan to revive foreign trade and access seaports. Islamabad no longer considers Afghanistan as the primary transit gateway to Central Asia because of its ongoing conflict with the Taliban. The South Asian country has activated alternative trade corridors via the PRC and Iran to access Central Asia. For Central Asian countries and Pakistan, Afghan routes are currently not viable due to persistent security risks, frequent Pakistan–Afghanistan border skirmishes, and the presence of militant groups on Afghan soil. – Central Asia Accessing Pakistani Sea Ports that Bypass Afghanistan  – Jamestown