Pakistan, Iran, Turkey container train service from August 14

[Naveed Yaseen]

TAHIR AMIN
ISLAMABAD (March 10 2009): Pakistan, Iran and Turkey agreed to launch Special Container Train service to give new dimension to trade among three countries. The train service is likely to be launched on August 14, 2009 from Islamabad in a ceremony to be attended by leadership of all the three countries. The three countries ministerial conference has approved the launching of the container train service and efforts are afoot to give the project final shape.

The ministers of three Islamic countries have agreed to launch the train service on August 14, 2009 in a befitting manner, Shafiq Ullah, Director Operations of Pakistan Railways, told Business Recorder here on Monday upon his arrival from Tehran. He represented Pakistan in Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) meeting.

He revealed that an inter-ministerial meeting of the ministers of transport/railway of Pakistan, Iran and Turkey was organised under the auspices of the Economic Co-operation Organisation in Tehran on March 1, 2009. He said that earlier a High Level Expert Group (HLEG) meeting was held on 27, 28 February at ECO Secretariat in which Shafiq Ullah Director Operations and Saeed Akhtar General Manager (GM) of Pakistan Railway represented Pakistan.

He said that during the meeting the experts from all the three countries deliberated upon the proposed running of Special Container Train from Istanbul via Tehran to Islamabad.

"The experts resolved operational issues and recommended the launching of the inter-nation Container Train to the ministries of the three countries, he added. He said that the railways experts from Pakistan contributed enormously to adopt the resolution to make the inter-nation container train a reality to be followed by inter-nation passenger train linking the three capitals of Pakistan, Iran and Turkey.

He said that the proposed train would not only add to economic uplift but also strengthen the friendship and co-operation among the three brotherly countries. He further added that the inter-state goods traffic has sufficient potential to make the venture a success.

He added that in April another meeting among the three countries would be held in which the matters related to customs and security would be resolved. He further revealed that the next meeting of the (HLEG) of the three countries would be held in Islamabad soon and the senior ministers of three counties would attend the launching of the container train.

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