The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has officially inaugurated the strategic Wakhan Highway in Badakhshan province, extending directly to the Chinese border. Official representatives emphasized during the opening ceremony that the route not only resolves long-standing transportation challenges for residents in the remote Pamir region, but also lays the groundwork for a major economic and transit corridor between Afghanistan and China.
Kabul 24: According to the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, the 121-kilometer gravel road stretches from the Broghil area in Wakhan district to the Chinese border. The total project cost of 365 million Afghanis was funded entirely through domestic resources.
The inauguration was attended by the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development alongside the Governor of Badakhshan and local authorities. During the event, Abdul Latif Mansoor highlighted that beyond easing travel for local residents, the Wakhan road holds immense long-term potential to evolve into a vital commercial and transit artery linking the two nations.
Concurrently, Mohammad Ismail Badr, technical manager of the Wakhan road project, characterized the milestone as historically, strategically, and economically significant, confirming that both light and heavy vehicles can now navigate the route directly to the border.
Establishing a direct land connection with China has remained a cornerstone of Kabul’s regional economic policy under the Islamic Emirate, with Afghan officials repeatedly emphasizing its strategic value during diplomatic engagements with Chinese counterparts.
