ANKARA – The first cargo train from Pakistan reached Turkey via Iran after completing its journey in 13 days.
The Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train reached Ankara via Lahore, Taftan and Zahedan. The service has been restored after a hiatus of 10 years.
The train departed on Dec 21 from Islamabad carrying goods (mainly pink salt) reached Ankara on Monday evening. The development will strengthen regional connectivity that will boost trade activities in the three countries and beyond.
Minister for Railways Azam Swati had sent-off ITI freight train from Margallah station in the federal capital.
The first cargo train was carrying 26 bogies with 23 tons of goods in each bogie. The train covered around 6,500 kilometres distance, of which 2,570 km is in Iran, 2,000 km in Turkey, and around 1,900 km in Pakistan. It will reach its destination, Istanbul, in 12 days.
Minister of Railways Azam Khan Swati along with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Commerce Advisor Razak Dawood had inaugurated the ITI freight train service. Ambassador of Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan also attended the train departure ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Swati had said that the train cargo corridor will open the doors for business and connectivity in the region, adding that the project offers the shortest and most affordable route for transportation of goods between Asia and Europe.
Foreign Minister Qureshi said that development is a new stage in the program for advancing the policy of regional connectivity and trade between neighbors and other countries.
Meanwhile, Abdul Razak Dawood termed it a historic development.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/pakistan-iran-turkey-launch-railway-corridor-first-train-departs-islamabad/
