Pakistan has approved and operationalized new land routes to connect Central Asian markets to Pakistani ports and beyond, utilizing strategic corridors through Iran and China to bypass Afghanistan entirely. The shift was solidified in April 2026 when Pakistan Customs launched the first export consignment from the Karachi Export Processing Zone to Kyrgyzstan via the Sost Dry Port in China under the TIR regime.
This diversification reduces dependence on the Afghanistan transit route, which has faced indefinite closure due to security concerns and political tensions. By routing goods through Iran's Chabahar port and China's western Xinjiang region, Pakistan aims to streamline trade flows to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other Central Asian republics, cutting transit times and costs.
Infrastructure investments are central to the plan. Pakistan has upgraded the Sost Dry Port in Gilgit-Baltistan and expanded road links to the Chinese border, while Tehran has deepened cooperation on the Iran–Pakistan gas pipeline and rail connectivity. Long-term, Islamabad envisions these corridors as part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor's northern extension, reducing transit reliance on Afghanistan.
Geopolitically, the move reshapes regional trade dynamics. It sidelines Kabul from lucrative transit fees and weakens its leverage as a land bridge, while strengthening Iran's east-west connectivity and China's Belt and Road foothold in Central Asia. The pivot follows years of Taliban-led instability hindering Afghan trade routes, though New Delhi remains wary of Pakistan's growing role in Iran's Chabahar project.
Critics argue that reliance on Iranian and Chinese infrastructure exposes Pakistan to geopolitical risks, including U.S. sanctions on Tehran and Beijing's tightening control over Xinjiang transit. Domestic logistics bottlenecks and persistent energy shortages also threaten corridor efficiency, leaving the initiative vulnerable without broader regional coordination.