Media reports say Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has chosen Tajikistan for his first foreign visit since his re-election, signaling Islamabad's eagerness to strengthen regional ties.
Tajikistan’s media reported that this visit comes at the invitation of President Emomali Rahman.
Pakistan Today says senior federal ministers will accompany the prime minister during the visit.
On July 2, Shehbaz Sharif will meet with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe before they attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, together. The two leaders are expected to discuss the implementation of agreements made during Rahmon’s 2022 visit to Pakistan, focusing on the CASA-1000 energy project and expanded cooperation in transport and security.
According to Pakistan Today, during the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also meet Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin.
Tajikistan reportedly seeks access to Pakistani ports, while Pakistan aims to become a transport hub for Central Asia.
Afghanistan’s Khaama Press reports that it appears that one of the purposes of Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Tajikistan will be to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
Citing its sources, Pakistan Today says both Pakistan and Tajikistan have serious concerns over the situation in Afghanistan, noting that the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and the use of Afghan territory for terrorism is a headache for both the countries.
Alexander Vorobyov, head of the Center for Public Diplomacy and World Politics Analysis, views this visit as a positive step towards improving bilateral economic ties and increasing Pakistani investment in Tajikistan. Both nations, as SCO members, reportedly face challenges from terrorist activities, making security cooperation a key area of mutual interest.
Vorobyov highlights the complexities of economic relations between Pakistan and post-Soviet Central Asian countries, citing legislative differences, poverty, and underdeveloped infrastructure. Yet, improved transport links and economic cooperation could mutually benefit Central Asia and Pakistan, provided Afghanistan’s situation stabilizes.
According to the expert, the Trans-Afghan railway project, linking Termez, Mazar-e Sharif, Kabul, and Peshawar, promoted by Uzbekistan, is crucial for improving Tajikistan's transport connectivity. The shortest route to the sea for Tajikistan runs through Afghanistan to Pakistan, highlighting the strategic importance of stability in Afghanistan for regional trade.
For example, the distance from Dushanbe to the port of Karachi or Gwadar is approximately 2,720 km, compared to 3,400 km to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. Tajikistan is separated from Pakistan by the Wakhan Corridor, a 350 km strip of Afghan territory.
However, Afghanistan's instability hampers Pakistan's potential as a trade conduit to Central Asia. The CASA-1000 project, intended to transfer 1,000 megawatts of electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan, remains incomplete.
