The exotic Midnight Express now reaches Islamabad. The Turkish-Pakistan links have gone beyond emotional vision and tall statements of brotherly relations. The Pakistan-Turkey Goods Train is now being optimized. Hard facts and regional realties have now forced the neighbors of Pakistan into ocoperating in trade and military ventures. There is much discussion of the route layout, the concept of cargo train, and the focus on special reduced rates by Pakistan Railways.
Ankara and Islamabad have agreed to increase trade with the neighbors. Turkey has done with very successfully and become the 17th largest economy of the world. With regard to the Islamabad-Istanbul Goods train, named “Gul Train” the Pakistani Ministry of Railways will be formally announcing concrete marketing plan in consultation and coordination with the trade bodies of the Iran and Turkey. The concept is a symbol of the ECO integration.
The ECO is the successor organization called the RCD (Regional Cooperation for Development). The RCD was created in the sixties to bring Iran and Turkey closer to Pakistan. At the time all were US allies. After the demise of the Shah, One of the first acts of the revolution in Iran was to demolish the RCD—however on Pakistan’s insistence the RCD was expanded to include all the Eastern former Muslim members states of the former USSR. Today the ECO is taking small but potent steps to increase the trade among the member states.
The progress of the Gul project was reviewed by the highest governemnt officials in Islamabad.The Goods Train has highlighted the existing transport agreements of Pakistan with Iran and Turkey under ECO and under bilateral arrangements (Transit Transport Framework Agreement,TTFA) with the regional countries.
The TTFA was originally developed by ECO with the assistance of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The regional TTFA was signed by all ECO member countries except Uzbekistan in 1998. Pakistan and Iran also want to enhance the Road Transportation of Goods and Passengers between Pakistan and Iran using the agreement signed between them in 1987. That agreement facilitates the transportation of goods between the two countries.
The agreement for Transportation and Good was signed between Iran and Pakistan during the concluding session of Pak-Iran Joint Economic Commission on June 29,2008 at Tehran. Turkey and Pakistan are eager to enhance trade relations. To this end the two countries approved a Road Transport Agreement on June 15,2003 at Islamabad.
The Pakistan-Turkey Goods train started its regular monthly service from Turkey and Pakistan simultaneously during August, 2010. There were only six regular services from Pakistan and two from Turkey. Pakistan has now created a monitoring mechanism to improve the Islamabad to Istanbul service.
via The Midnight Express now reaches Islamabad | Pakistan Patriot.
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