Staff Reporter Karachi
In a landmark development towards regional con-nectivity, five vehicles of National Logistics Cell (NLC) left for Turkey and Azerbaijan under the International Road Transport (TIR) regime.
The move is a major step towards inter re-gional connectivity through land route capitalizing on enormous benefits of TIR’s hassle free crossing of international borders. As an official TIR operator, NLC will offer door-to-door transportation services to the business community for exports and imports of goods.
NLC organized a ceremo ny to formally launch the TIR freight operations. Federal Secretary Com-merce Muhammad Sauleh Ahmad Faruqui was the chief guest on the occasion.
Representatives of trade bodies, import-ers/exporters, entrepreneurs and senior government officials attended the ceremony. Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Director General NLC Brig Nasir termed the TIR service as historic event.
As many as five vehicles loaded 40-feet con-tainers of export goods left for Turkey and Azerbai-jan on Friday. Three vehicles will cross Taftan and reach its final destination Istanbul through Gurbulak Border Terminal via Iran.
The journey from Karachi to Istanbul will be completed in just 8 to 10 days as against three to four weeks via traditional sea routes. The other two vehicles departed for Azerbaijan’s capital Baku which are expected to reach its destina-tion in 7-8 days.
TIR operations herald a new era of regional market connectivity through faster means of trans-portation at comparatively economical freight costs.
