Afghanistan for regional road, rail network in South Asia

Afghanistan on Wednesday stressed on creating road and railway connectivity in South Asia, saying that the dream of ‘breakfast in Kabul, lunch in Peshawar and dinner in New Delhi’ is yet to be realised.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned breakfast in Kabul, lunch in Peshawar and dinner in New Delhi... (it) has not materialised. But that opportunity is now,” Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah said.

“A functional regional road and rail connectivity is pre- requisite for developing trade. Opening channels of transport and trade will improve the life of our people and generate sustainable revenue for our people and governments,” Abdullah said an event organised by industry body Assocham.

Modi had visited Afghanistan last month. “I applaud Indian PM Narendra Modi for his support and for visiting Afghanistan which reenergised relationship between the two countries,” he said. Stressing that Asia is the most dynamic part of the world and need of the time is to benefit from process of globalisation, Abdullah said Chabahar port in Iran is top priority for Afghanistan, India and Iran.