The governments of Pakistan and China are making concerted efforts to expedite the revival of CPEC 2.0, aiming to achieve sustainable socio-economic prosperity, high-quality industrialization, hybrid agriculture, the systematic development of special economic zones, the institutionalization of digitalization and the integration of artificial intelligence. In this context, both sides are working jointly to accelerate CPEC 2.0, including its extension into trans-regional connectivity, where the proposed Pak-Tajik Corridor of Connectivity (PTCC) is expected to play a pivotal role in the coming years.
It is a positive development that Pakistani policymakers have now recognized the need to bypass Afghanistan and explore alternative routes to connect with Central Asia for enhanced socio-economic integration and stronger trade ties. The opening of five new crossing points with Iran and a renewed focus on the Gilgit-Xinjiang-
According to credible diplomatic sources, Pakistan and Tajikistan are actively developing a direct international land corridor via Gilgit and China to strengthen economic ties while bypassing Afghanistan. Under the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement (QTTA), this route would involve trucks traveling from Pakistan into China’s Xinjiang province and then westward into the Gorno-Badakhshan region of Tajikistan representing a significant step toward deepening direct trade relations and bilateral economic cooperation in the years ahead.
Analytically, historically and geographically, Pakistan and Tajikistan are separated by the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow and mountainous strip of Afghan territory. Securing China’s strategic consent and involvement for constructing a route through the Wakhan Corridor to connect with Tajikistan would add substantial value to the further expansion, scope, utility and significance of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Comparative analysis suggests that the proposed Gilgit-China-Tajikistan Corridor (GCTC) can leverage existing road infrastructure, enabling Pakistani trucks to reach Tajikistan via the Karakoram Highway (N-35) and China, bypassing volatile Afghan territory. Meanwhile, ongoing engagement between Pakistan’s Ministry of Communications and the Embassy of Tajikistan to advance the QTTA marks an important step toward strengthening trans-regional connectivity and aligning CPEC 2.0 with the BRI.
While the Afghanistan bypass is gaining traction for freight, Pakistan also has a long-term interest in establishing a direct overland link through the Pamir-Hindu Kush via the Irshad or Broghil passes when infrastructure permits.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding regional trade with Tajikistan through improved logistics, diversified transit routes and closer coordination. His statement on the timely completion of internal procedures under transit frameworks, including the QTTA arrangement, was deemed critical for operationalizing existing mechanisms and advancing future cooperation. He emphasized the importance of developing an integrated commercial corridor through the establishment of logistics hubs, offloading facilities and multimodal transport systems to create an efficient supply chain linking Pakistan with Central Asia.
Enhanced cooperation with China will remain central to regional connectivity. Minister Jam Kamal Khan stressed that relying on a single trade route is unsustainable, advocating multiple operational corridors and stronger institutional linkages through direct engagement between the two countries’ trade agencies to advance sector-specific cooperation and MoUs.
For his part, Ambassador Sharifzoda highlighted the strategic importance of building reliable and cost-effective transit routes and appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to enhance regional connectivity. He also pointed to Tajikistan’s potential to export surplus energy to Pakistan and identified opportunities for cooperation in aluminum trade and industrial supply chains.
In a healthy sign, both sides agreed to utilize platforms such as the Joint Economic Commission to advance bilateral cooperation and proposed organizing a B2B forum on the sidelines of upcoming engagements to promote direct interaction between private-sector stakeholders.
A critical analysis of Tajikistan’s National Development Strategy 2030 confirms that the country’s comprehensive reform program focuses on improving digital and air transport connectivity, ensuring efficient energy use and expanding productive employment. While growth has been robust, Tajikistan remains heavily dependent on remittances and externally financed public investment, underscoring the need for a stronger, more competitive private sector capable of creating more and better-paid jobs.
In summary, the writer underscores the strategic importance of a comprehensive road map for strengthening Pak-Tajik trade, economic cooperation, investment, joint ventures, industrial collaboration and hybrid partnerships, in which the trans-regional connectivity offered by CPEC 2.0 holds the key.
It is recommended that the Tajik government and its policymakers take all possible measures to further develop the telecommunications sector to create a “Pak-Tajik Digital Corridor” under the flagship of CPEC 2.0. In civil aviation, new transparent pricing mechanisms and safety oversight regulatory reforms should be initiated to improve the contestability and affordability of airport infrastructure services, attracting more airlines to the market. This would present an ideal opportunity to establish an independent “Pak-Tajik Air Corridor” for B2B cooperation. The formation of a Joint Air Company” with private-sector participation would address many existing challenges.
The writer proposes that the Tajik government also increase transparency by advancing a new Competition Law to strengthen market oversight and enforcement. The establishment of a “Pak-Tajik Banking & Finance Corridor” would support and facilitate the further strengthening of bilateral relations.
In conclusion, the formation of a “Pak-Tajik Green Energy Corridor”, a transport and infrastructure model inspired by Azerbaijan’s approach in areas adjacent to Armenia and a “Pak-Tajik Custom Clearance Company” would be timely initiatives that enhance economic, trade, business, investment and people-to-people connectivity. Both sides should jointly seek financial assistance from China, given its sole proprietorship of CPEC 2.0 and the BRI.
Engaging the private sector will be a strategic option in energy, pharmaceuticals, textiles, food processing, light engineering, drone technology, disaster and climate change cooperation and, crucially, the creation of a “Pak-Tajik Corridor of Knowledge” to realize the centuries-old dreams of connectivity, cooperation, coordination and collaboration between the two countries.
In July 2026, Tajikistan’s economy is experiencing robust growth of 6% of GDP, driven by industrial expansion, services and substantial worker remittances. The Asian Development Bank forecasts an even stronger 7.3% expansion, vividly reflecting the resilience and diversity of Tajikistan’s macro-economy and its increasing attractiveness for Pakistani foreign direct investment in the years ahead.
(E-Mail: mehmoodulhassankhan7@
