Uzbekistan Opens New Pakistan Trade Route via Iran

Uzbekistan has begun using alternative trade corridors to reach Pakistani markets and seaports without passing through Afghanistan, in a development reported on Sunday that could reshape regional logistics between Central Asia and South Asia. The new route links Tashkent’s exports with Pakistan through the Pakistan-Iran frontier, creating another pathway toward Gwadar and Karachi ports.

According to the report, the move comes as Pakistan attempts to strengthen its position as a regional trade hub for landlocked Central Asian economies. By offering access to deep-sea ports and global shipping lanes, Islamabad is seeking to turn its geography into a practical economic advantage at a time when regional supply chains remain vulnerable to political and security disruptions.

The corridor is being used for the movement of agricultural machinery and industrial raw materials through the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing on the Pakistan-Iran frontier. This route gives Uzbek exporters a way to move cargo toward Pakistan without depending solely on traditional transit pathways through Afghanistan, which have faced repeated interruptions.

The report, citing Azerbaijan’s The Caspian Post, said the trade corridors were launched in April 2026 and are already handling cargo. It described the development as part of a broader effort to connect Central Asian states with Pakistan’s maritime infrastructure, particularly Gwadar and Karachi, both of which are central to Pakistan’s regional connectivity ambitions.

More than 14,000 metric tonnes of cargo have already been transported through the new route, showing early demand for the alternative logistics channel. The volume remains modest compared with major regional trade flows, but it is significant as a proof of concept for a corridor designed to reduce dependency on routes exposed to border closures, security tensions and administrative delays.

The development follows Pakistan’s efforts to diversify its trade network after security concerns led to closures at the Torkham and Chaman border crossings in October 2025. Those closures disrupted trade movement and highlighted the risks of relying on a limited number of gateways for commerce between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia.

For Pakistan, the corridor carries strategic value beyond immediate cargo movement. It can support the TIR international transit framework and complement the Pakistan Single Window customs system, both of which are meant to make cross-border trade faster, more transparent and easier for exporters, importers and logistics companies.

The route may also strengthen Gwadar Port’s role under the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. If Central Asian cargo increasingly moves through Pakistan, Gwadar and Karachi could attract greater shipping, warehousing, customs and transport activity, generating employment and supporting Pakistan’s services-based trade revenue.

Analysts cited in the report believe Pakistan could eventually earn up to $3 billion annually from transit trade and logistics services if it successfully positions itself as a gateway for Central Asian economies. The next challenge will be to keep the route commercially reliable, improve border facilitation and ensure that security, customs and infrastructure arrangements can support sustained cargo growth.