DUSHANBE, July 22, 2013, Asia-Plus – Tajik Railways (Tajik state rail company) has gradually reduced cargo shipments and passenger carriages as well as transit shipments since 2009 due to special policy of neighboring Uzbekistan.

Tajik Railways head Amonullo Hukumov stated this at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 22.

Over the first six months of this year, Tajik Railways has shipped more than 3.3 million tons of cargo, which was 800,000 tons fewer than in the same period last year and 3.4 million tons fewer than in the same period of 2008, Hukumov noted.

Transit shipments over the same six-month period have reportedly totaled 923,000 tons, 515,000 tons fewer than in the same period last year and 3.3 million tons fewer than in January-June 2009.

Over the first six months of this year, Tajik Railways has carried 228,000 passengers, which was 18,000 persons fewer than in the same period last year, Hukumov said.

According to him, considerable cargo shipment reductions have resulted from Uzbekistan’s unilateral decision to close railway to the Tajik southern province of Khatlon and Uzbekistan’s halting of freight cars bound for Tajikistan.

Thus, damage caused to Tajik Railways by Uzbekistan’s halting of Tajikistan-bound freight cars last year was estimated at 50 million U.S. dollars, Hukumov noted.

“The damage caused to Tajik railways through Uzbek authorities’ fault over the first six months of this year alone has been estimated at 15 million U.S. dollars,” Hukumov added.  

According to him, Uzbekistan is even ready to work to its detriment in order to cause damage to Tajikistan.  “The Uzbek authorities loses every year up to 100 million U.S. dollars shipping cargo from the central part of the country to its eastern part by automotive transportation if only to bypass Tajik territory,” Tajik Railways top manager said.