New Road to allow Tajikistan's exit to South Asia, Europe

by Najam Abbas Ph.D (abbas@najam.td.silk.org), observer of developments in Central Asia

Apart from the "strengthening of the peace process" theme a major issue on Tajikistan's media these days is the new road link which now allows supplies from the country's central provinces to reach the mountainous Pamir regions. "The establishment of the long awaited links between provinces which previously remained cut off every winter will bring development and eventually allow an exit to other parts of Asia and Europe," Tajikistan State Television reported on February 3. This will help establish ties with different countries building the bridge to a better future, TVT stated. "The newly opened road Tajikistan could reach out to the seas passing through the Karakorum Highway in Pakistan. This will accelerate growth and bring prosperity far greater than what we have at present," Samad Yunusov an academician at the Tajikistan Technical University told the TVT audience. "This road link will put into action a large number of routes along the road," reported Akhbar the prime time newscast in Tajiki language. This road has the potential to become the country's major communication artery, opines Kholiqdod Jonboboev, a road builder. The putting into operation of the highway will provide a strong impulse for economic growth besides promoting tourism and generating new jobs, Akhbor quoted him as saying on February 2. Madadbek Tajibekov, Dean Faculty of mineralogy at Tajikistan National University hopes that expansion of the road links will allow Tajikistan to establish economic and cultural ties with other republics.

Published at the Tajikistan Update on February 08, 1999