The Taliban-run Ministry of Public Works said Saturday that more than 4.4 million tons of goods were transported via Afghanistan’s railway network over the past year, including imports, exports and transit shipments.
Speaking at a press conference outlining the ministry’s annual performance, Ashraf Haqshenas, the Taliban’s spokesman for the ministry, said efforts were underway to further expand trade routes and improve logistical infrastructure to support Afghan exports to international markets.
He added that the ministry’s strategic priorities include expanding rail transport capacity and enhancing trade facilitation with regional partners.
Afghanistan’s railway network is currently connected to Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and China — routes that have become increasingly vital for regional trade amid shifting geopolitical and logistical dynamics.
In addition to rail activity, the ministry reported that repair and inspection work had been completed on more than 236 kilometers of railway across four key corridors: Hairatan–Mazar-e Sharif, Aqina–Andkhoy, Torghundi, and the third segment of the Khoaf–Herat railway.
Infrastructure development remained a focus over the past year. The ministry said work had begun on 14 mosques along the Kabul–Herat highway, at an estimated cost of 467.7 million Afghanis. Six of these are being built along the Kabul–Kandahar route, and eight on the Kandahar–Herat section.
Road maintenance also saw significant investment. Forty-five projects valued at more than 3.1 billion Afghanis were initiated, of which 35 have been completed, four are ongoing, and six have been suspended due to unspecified challenges.
Reconstruction is underway on 80 kilometers of the Salang highway — a critical mountain corridor linking northern and southern Afghanistan. Work is currently focused on three segments: Northern Salang, Southern Salang and Doshi–Khenjan.
The ministry also reported progress on the Kabul–Kandahar highway, a 480-kilometer route undergoing phased reconstruction. The project involves the construction of 1,700 crossing bridge bases and 48 major bridge foundations, with asphalt being laid in three successive layers.
While the Taliban continue to emphasize infrastructure development as a cornerstone of governance, questions persist regarding the transparency, oversight and long-term sustainability of these projects.
