• Third ITI freight train likely to reach Istanbul on 16th
• Two more expected to depart on 21st

LAHORE: Despite encountering heavy snowfall on its way to Istanbul, the third train carrying goods from Pakistan has entered Turkey, marking the successful operation of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) goods train, which resumed in December 2021 after being dormant for nearly a decade.

The train is likely to reach its destination by Wednesday. Officials say delays were caused by extreme weather conditions during the journey that started from Islamabad on Jan 23.

Two more international freight trains will depart from the Aza Khel dry port, around 153km from Islamabad for Istanbul within 10 days, most likely on Feb 21, said a senior official of Pakistan Railways.

“The third freight train carrying high value goods, as per demand received from Turkey, has also entered Turkey and will reach Istanbul by Wednesday,” said the official dealing with the affairs of the ITI operations when approached by Dawn on Saturday.

“The train entered Turkey via Lahore, Khanewal, Bahawalpur, Sukkur, Spenzand, Sibi, Nushki, Taftan (Pakistan) and Zahidan and Tehran (Iran),” he added.

Talking about the departure of other trains, the official said two more were expected to leave for Turkey on February 21. He said the freight forwarders were gathering goods as per demand these days.

“These trains would reach Istanbul via Attock, Kundian, Multan, Sukkur, Spenzand, Sibi, Nushki, Taftan, Zahidan and Tehran,” he said.

Under an arrangement, before reaching its destination, the goods loaded on the train are supposed to be shifted to other wagons compatible with the Iranian and Turkish rail/gauge system, called standard gauge rail tracks having width of four feet and 8.5 inches. It is also called international, uniformed, normal Stephenson as well as the European gauge. It is the most widely used rail gauge across the world. However, the broad gauge rail track being used in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Chile and the Bay Area of San Francisco (the US) is reportedly 5.6 feet wide.

Pakistan Railways is working on a proposal for laying the country’s first standard gauge rail track from Quetta to Taftan in a bid to make infrastructure compatible with international standards and to transport high-value goods to European and Central Asian countries within the shortest time. A sum of $500m is expected to be incurred on the 635km-long-track. Pakistan Railways is likely to get a feasibility carried out in the near future, subject to approval of the proposal by the Ministry of Railways.

Once it decides to lay the rail track within its territory from Quetta to Taftan, the Pakistan Railways may also request Iran to lay 95km-long standard gauge rail track from Taftan border to Zahidan (Iran).

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2022