ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkiye have agreed on the early revival of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) Freight Corridor and its transformation into a sustainable regional trade route connecting South Asia, Central Asia and Europe.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi and Turkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu.

Mr Abbasi is visiting Turkiye to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in the railway sector through investment, technology transfer, modernisation and regional connectivity.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to developing a long-term strategic partnership in railways, focusing on industrial collaboration, infrastructure development, knowledge sharing and joint investment initiatives.

The Pakistani delegation briefed the Turkish side on the modernisation of Main Line-3 from Rohri to Taftan, emphasising its importance in strengthening rail connectivity with Iran and supporting future freight operations through the ITI corridor.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2026