TEHRAN: Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq has said that launching of cargo train service between Pakistan and Iran was aimed at promoting trade between the two countries. Talking to media, he said that Pakistan was also interested in launching a train service to Turkey via Iran. Khawaja Saad Rafiq said, “At initial stage, we would ply train service once a week and it would return within a week; We have also started renovation work and restoration of railway track for Quetta-Zahidan for freight train service.”
Referring to the objectives of train service, he said that Pakistan wanted to promote its trade with Iran. He said, “we will export rice and other goods through our Quetta-Taftan and Zahidan Goods Train Service; Earlier these goods were being sent to Iran by road while it will bring back goods from Iran to Pakistan.” He said, at moment, the train service will contain twenty four bogies while finally the number of bogies would be increased to forty. Besides, “We will purchase 2000 liter diesel at the rate of 15 rupees per liter for the train service.”
Khawaja Saad Rafiq added that Pakistan was also interested in launching a train service to Turkey via Iran and according to him, for this purpose, efforts were being made. He remarked that government was also ready to launch ECO Train service. He pointed out that there were some problems in launching the ECO train service. ECO Train Service would ply between Quetta and Istanbul via Tuftan and Zahidan in Iran. “We had told Turkey that Pakistan is ready for launching ECO train Service,” he added. To a question regarding Pakistan railways has been facing deficit he said that its ratio was constantly being decreased.
