Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Road Transport Corridor begins operation to promote connectivity
A welcoming ceremony was held at Murat Bey Customs Post in Istanbul to mark the beginning of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Road Transport Corridor project.
Turkish and Pakistani officials welcomed the arrival of the first two National Logistics Company (NLC) trucks carrying goods from Pakistan to Turkey, via Iran, under the Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) convention.
The NLC trucks departed from Karachi on September 28 and reached Istanbul on October 7 covering a distance of 5300 kilometers.
Senior officials of the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Ministry of Trade, Chamber of Commerce & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), International Road Transport Union (IRU), ECO Secretariat, Transport Ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran, NLC, members and representatives of the Turkish private sector related to transport, and Pakistan Ambassador to Turkey, Muhammad Syrus Qazi accompanied by representatives of Pakistan Embassy and Consulate General participated in the ceremony. Umberto de Pretto, Secretary-General of IRU, based in Geneva, also attended the ceremony.
All participants hailed the development as a vital step in promoting connectivity and enhancing trade between Pakistan and Turkey.
Ambassador Syrus Qazi in his remarks highlighted the Government of Pakistan’s focus on geo-economics and how regional connectivity was crucial in this regard. He hailed this trial run of NLC trucks as a historic step that will strengthen road connectivity between Pakistan and Turkey and would also help in the promotion of bilateral trade. Ambassador Qazi noted that the operationalization of this road link will help reduce the cost and time for transportation.
Asli Çalık, head of department, transport and logistical systems at TOBB, said: “It is an extremely important corridor for the development of our road trade with the Middle East and regional countries.”
Shaukat Abbas, general manager of marketing at NLC, said the project would enhance the relationship between all three countries.
Reviving the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI-ECO) road transport corridor will generate revenue, boost trade and increase economic cooperation among the ECO member states. After this initial successful run, the NLC intends to increase and regularise transport of goods between Pakistan and Turkey, helping to bring the two countries further closer.