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Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates plan to expand cooperation in the railway sector, officials said this week, with Islamabad seeking to modernize its transport infrastructure and strengthen regional connectivity.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, said the Gulf nation is already involved in the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project, a $10 billion upgrade of the 1,872-kilometer Karachi-Peshawar railway line, and that discussions are under way with Etihad Rail.
“Both countries will share experiences and best practices,” he told Arab News, calling railways the “cheapest and most environmentally friendly mode of transport after sea freight.”
The comments came as Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kiyani led a Pakistani delegation to the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, which ran Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.
The event drew more than 20,000 participants, including 24 ministerial delegations, 60 CEOs, and 200 international speakers under the theme “Driving the Future of Transport and Global Connectivity.”
Meeting with UAE president
Kiyani met UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the visit, conveying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s greetings and inviting him to Pakistan.
Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed his country’s commitment to closer cooperation in rail, energy and investment.
The UAE is home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates and has long been one of Islamabad’s key economic partners, providing aid, investment and a critical labor market.
Leaders of both countries frequently highlight their “brotherly ties” and pledge to deepen collaboration across multiple sectors.
On the sidelines, Kiyani held talks with UAE Energy and Infrastructure Minister Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei and Etihad Rail CEO Shadi Malak, exploring opportunities in freight logistics, technology exchange and network development.
He also toured Etihad Rail’s new high-speed track between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which cut the 140-kilometer journey to 35 minutes ahead of its scheduled 2026 launch.
Pakistan’s embassy said Kiyani highlighted plans to modernize two major corridors, ML-1 and ML-3, linking Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Kotri, to align with international standards.
Officials described Pakistan’s participation in the summit as part of a broader effort to advance sustainable transport and forge international partnerships to boost economic growth and regional trade.
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