ISLAMABAD, Jul 14 (APP): Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour Tuesday said that Pakistan Railways is all set to launch Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul international freight train service from August 14.In an exclusive interview with this news agency, the minister said that Iran will provide transhipment facilities in Zahedan till a standard gauge line is laid between Zahedan and Mirjaveh.

Bilour said that Pakistan Railways is trying to improve the section, but it requires massive investment.

He said out of total 6,506 kilometres Islamabad-Istanbul rail track, the train service covers about 1,900 km of the distance in Pakistan, 2,570 km in Iran and 2,036 km in Turkey.

The minister said the planned train service will be operated as pilot project of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in line with agreement signed by the three countries in March this year.

The train, he pointed out will either start from Islamabad on August 14 or arrive Islamabad from Istanbul on the day of Independence of Pakistan.

“We want to make it a ceremonial occasion to launch the container train service from Islamabad on August 14 while Turkey is pressing its launch from their end,” he added.

The minister said that Turkey and Iran already have railway link up at their borders and both have freight and passenger train services.

He said the service would be of great advantage to the business community of Pakistan, Turkey and Iran because earlier the containers used to be sent to Karachi by ship and after unloading them here used to be sent forward to respective destinations in the country either by road or rail and this was costing them quite high.

“We are trying to line up soft credit with international financial institutions to resolve the issue related to rail gauge between Pakistan and Iran before it is made a full-grown train service,” Bilour added.

He said that the freight train would initially be dedicated for the transportation of cargo containers and would eventually include other goods and passenger services.

Bilour said that by the time, the pilot freight train service got matured, other ECO member countries including Afghanistan might also join it.

He was of the view that the commencement of the train services would help boost trade and people-to-people contacts among the three important ECO states.

It is pertinent to mention here that official representatives from the three countries had held a series of meetings and successfully resolved issues relating to customs, cargo handling and timings of proposed train service.