Freight train between Pakistan & Turkey to resume operations on March 4

A freight train between Pakistan and Turkey is likely to resume operations on March 4 after a period of nine years.

According to Pakistan Railways, an international goods train is likely to run between Turkey and Pakistan from March 4. The first train will travel from Turkey to Karachi in two weeks. The train will reach Karachi via Iran, Zahedan, Quetta, and Rohri.

It was learned that the first international cargo train would be bringing in electronics for domestic use. This train will leave Karachi for Turkey this month carrying goods.

Last year in December Adil Karaismailoglu, Turkey's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure announced that the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad (ITI) railway is expected to resume operations in 2021.

Previously, various test journeys were carried out on this route and a transit line was not regularized due to pending infrastructure development. According to Adil Karaismailoglu, both container and freight transportation will soon be resume on the route. The growing changes in the diplomatic landscape between the three countries have allowed the railway operation to resume.

ITI project was initially launched in 2009. The railway line starts from Istanbul, through Tehran, to Islamabad. This routes takes eleven a half days and has a maximum capacity for twenty 50-feet containers.