Hello Dangersdan707 and others,
the suggestion of rail routes via Afghanistan , Iran and Turkey has long term merit in that it will allow trade through an area whose poor infrastructure pretty much ensures continuing instability, due to a lack of a stable economic future.
The same argument also applies to a China to Pakistan Railway to the western Pakistan ports of Pasni, Gwadar, or Jiwani; all on the Arabian Sea. This would open up south west China, south east Iran and western Pakistan to trade, and allow Pakistan to benefit from China to Arabian Gulf traffic
These are the development infrastructure that the Chinese Belt & Road Initiatives are aimed at; very long term Projects that only Governments are able to deliver, due to the size and long term nature of both the actual project and the eventual economic development and return.
In a sense, it is what the British did in India that, over time, transformed a series of disparate States into today's India. While it may be fashionable to criticise Imperialism, and for all of its faults and injustice, in India's case it did make a nation and transformed an old economy into a new one.
Regards, Radioman.