Afghan government's 'go-ahead signal' awaited on Chitral – Dushanbe road: Tajik envoy
- The Ghizar- Tajikistan route had been surveyed during the Musharraf regime.
PT Report
ISLAMABAD: The ambassador of Tajikistan, Zubaidin Zubaidov, has told reporters that his country and Pakistan were ready to start work on the Dushanbe-Chitral highway.
Speaking to the media at the embassy here, he rejected some demands that the road should be built through the Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said from Tajikistan’s border to Chitral’s Boroghil valley, the distance was hardly 20 km while that to Ghizer it was around 400 km. He said for his government, the road through Chitral was the most suitable one.
He said both the countries were waiting for a go-ahead signal from the government of Afghanistan and as soon as Kabul gives approval to the project, work on the highway would be started.
The ambassador said that by building the highway, his country would get direct access to the Gwadar port.
This is ironical that the present political government is doing nothing to persuade and entice the government of Pakistan to build the road from Ghizer to Tajikistan. Slam on all political parties as well for their silence in this matter of strategic importance. I wonder they only raise voice to criticize each other; not on a matter of regional interest.
wish it could be through Ghizar valley, what so ever lets connect with tajikistan a good move and good luck.
I find all the fuss around this road quite saddening actually. GB already has the KKH to China, isn’t it possible to share the cake of benefit from international trade or GB want it all for itself ? Politicians complaining about how backward is the area make me laugh. Chitral has no road such as the KKH going through while GB has it and gets a lot of benefit from it, as the road is of strategic importance and is permanently being worked and repaired to be maintained open.
When winter comes, Chitral is locked until springtime comes. Thanks to KKH, no such thing for GB, the link to outside world is permanent.
Also, geographically speaking, it seems more obvious to choose the Chitral road rather than Ishkoman’s, as Chitral is much closer to tajikistan indeed.
Wherever it goes through the road will bring both goods and bads, and GB definitely will get its share, even if the road goes through Chitral, much more than Chitral would if the road goes through Ishkoman.