On Monday, the first freight train between Istanbul and Islamabad through Tehran reached Ankara via Lahore, Taftan, and Zahedan, completing a 17-day journey in just 13 days. A second train to Turkey is already on its way.
“The first train, which left Islamabad on December 21 carrying cargo (mostly pink salt), reached Ankara (Turkey) on Monday evening. The items put aboard the train were moved to different bogies (trans-shipment) compatible with the Iranian and Turkish rail/gauge systems before arriving at their destination, according to Pakistan Railways Director (Operations) Imtiaz Ahmad. “The train was made up of eight carriages carrying 150 tons of pink salt.”
He said the second train, which had departed from Azakhel dry port on Dec 28, carried 525 tonnes of soapstone. It has entered Iran and will reach Zahedan very soon where the trans-shipment-related work will be completed, he added.
To a question, Mr. Ahmad, who is also the focal person for the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad (ITI) train, said the Pakistan Railways earned Rs800,000 and Rs2.2 million from the first and second trains, respectively.
