ISLAMABAD, Oct 12 (Asia Free Press): Pakistan and Turkey land-rout trade finally started as the first truck loaded with local commodities reached turkey via Iran, the official said on Tuesday.
“I am very pleased to announce that under the TIR treaty, the first NLC truck transporting commodities from Pakistan reached Turkey via Iran. The NLC truck left Karachi on Sep 28 and reached Istanbul on Oct 7, covering the distance of 5300 KM,” Razak Dawood, Advisor to Pakistan’s Prime Minister on Commerce, tweeted.
He added that this was the beginning of a new era of connectivity under the Ministry of Commerce’s regional connectivity policy and urged exporters to use the facility to save cost and time.
“This is the beginning of a new era of connectivity under MoC’s regional connectivity policy. I will urge exporters to use the facility will save cost and time as well,” Dawood said.
On Friday, a welcoming ceremony was held by the Turkish Trade Ministry in Istanbul after the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Road Transport Corridor Project successfully carried commercial cargo on Pakistani trucks to Turkey.
Pakistan’s envoy to Turkey, senior Iranian officials, Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), International Road Union (IRU), Turkey’s Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), and other participants representing the public and private sector attended the ceremony, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
The Project was launched by Turkey’s Trade Ministry and counterparts in Iran and Pakistan under the aegis of ECO.
“I would only like to say there is a saying in almost every language, in our language, Urdu, also, that drops, when they are taken together become a river,” the agency quoted Pakistan’s ambassador to Turkey said at the event.
These are the first drops that will become a river of commerce between and among Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, and bring all three people together, said Syrus Sajjad Qazi.
Asli Calik, 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.”
Calik said that thanks to the Project, Pakistan is now more integrated into international trade, and also Turkey’s exports to China will be able to be developed through Pakistan on the route.
Shaukat Abbas, General Manager Marketing at National Logistics Cell (NLC), said the project would enhance the relationship between all three countries.
Javed Hedayati, General Director at Iran Transport Ministry, also emphasized Iran’s total commitment to supporting the Project, adding “it’s a good sample for doing with other neighbors and regional collaboration.”
The decision to establish the road transport corridor was made at the 8th Meeting of ECO Ministers of Transport and Communications in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in 2011.
