Pakistan- Turkey rail trial starts

[dabong1]

Pakistan has begun its first international freight train service from Islamabad to Istanbul.

The 6,500km (4,040 mile) trial service via the Iranian capital, Tehran, is a pilot project of the regional Economic Co-operation Organisation.

Officials expect it to boost Pakistan's trade with Turkey and Iran - currently estimated at $1bn - by as much as 50%.

There are also hopes the route will eventually provide a link to Europe and Central Asia, and carry passengers.

Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani he hoped the route would one day also provide passenger services and boost tourism, reports said.

The train will pull 20 containers on its maiden journey from Islamabad railway station, delivering 14 to Tehran and six to Istanbul a fortnight after it sets off.

The first journey will also take railway experts from the three countries on board to gauge the performance and check for obstacles over the vast terrain.

Mr Gilani described the beginning as "an epic event", Pakistan's APP news agency reported.

Some operational obstacles also remain to be resolved, and parts of the route need to be upgraded, he added.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8201934.stm:pakistan:

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

my uncle was a part of this project.

It is an honour for us.

I do hope that it can also serve as a passenger express also, provided security arrangements are given priority one.

We must keep in mind that Pakistan-Iran-Turkey is the international smuggling route for drugs and illegal immigrants going from Asia to Europe.

 

[The Patriot]

my uncle was a part of this project.

It is an honour for us.

I do hope that it can also serve as a passenger express also, provided security arrangements are given priority one.

if that is so i would love to take a ride from turkey to Pakistan.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

would be a HELL of a scenic route I can imagine.

The Chinese are investing also in Pak Railways, in the interests of replacing some older cars & tracks (some of which are britisher era) into modern standard.

I dont really know the technicalities of railways industry.

But yes -- it will yield very positive results. I would love to take a train from Istanbul, stop off at Van; then make my way through Iran into Pakistan

 

[Omar1984]

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

it will 'dock' in iran. Should arrive in Istanbul within next two weeks, Inshallah.

 

[Omar1984]

First Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul train arrives in Turkey
​

ANKARA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- A freight train, which departed from Islamabad to test the newly established 6,500 km railway linking Pakistan, Iran and Turkey, arrived in eastern Turkey Tuesday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

The railway line, which was recently completed linking Islamabad, Tehran and Istanbul, aims at connecting members states of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), according to the report.

ECO is an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey to boost cooperation. It currently holds 10 member states.

The first freight train departed from Pakistan on Aug. 14 and stopped at Iranian capital of Tehran Sunday, and then arrived in Saray town in eastern Turkish Van province early Tuesday, said the report.

A number of Turkish, Iranian and Pakistani railway officials were on the train, according to the report.

The new railway connected Pakistan to Europe via Iran and Turkey, Turkish railway official Muhammed Atilcan was quoted as saying.

The train journey from Islamabad to Istanbul takes about 13 days, while travelling from European countries to Pakistan via seaway needs almost 40 to 45 days.

The Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul railway project comes amid efforts to boost economic cooperation among ECO member states.

Besides Pakistan, Iran and Turkey, ECO members are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

 

[U-571]

i have learnt that, in the past, pakistanis didnt have to obtain turkish visas to visit turkey, but later the restrictions were added by pakistani government itself, is this true??? also pakistan and turkey had very good relations with each other in terms of tourism. it was very common for turks to visit pakistan and pakistanis visiting turkey, but this declined with the passage of time, is it true??

this passenger train service if opened may boost european tourism in pakistan and serve pak economy.

 

[Comet]

Pakistan Connected to Turkey. A wonderful thing.
I believe this will help us in trade a lot.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

i have learnt that, in the past, pakistanis didnt have to obtain turkish visas to visit turkey, but later the restrictions were added by pakistani government itself, is this true??? also pakistan and turkey had very good relations with each other in terms of tourism. it was very common for turks to visit pakistan and pakistanis visiting turkey, but this declined with the passage of time, is it true??

this passenger train service if opened may boost european tourism in pakistan and serve pak economy.

Simple answer. There was little initiative taken by us (Pakistan).

We added the restrictions because in the past (and it still happens occasionally even now)many Pakistanis were going to Turkey without visas --and then they would go "missing"


by "missing" -- i mean that from Turkey, they were illegally taking boats to countries like Greece, Italy, and other EU countries.


They represented a diplomatic and possible security risk, so on our own initiative we made this a rule.



For business/commerce related visits, Turks don't need Pakistani visas, and Pakistanis don't need Turkish visas.


As for tourism, Pakistanis are just too dumb and closed minded. Most think that going to London or Dubai is "tourism"

But also on Turkish side, some of the younger generations don't know as much about Pakistan as the older ones. It was mostly the older people who used to hug me when I told them I was from Pakistan. It really used to touch my heart.

We Pakistanis need to promote Turkey in our country, and demand more cooperation (on social and economic level) between both countries. Even in other aspects such as arts, music, film, etc.


Istanbul alone is a treasure of the world. I mean --- i cant think of another city which I love so much.

 

[TOPGUN]

Awsome news for trade with our brotherly countires!

 

[Omar1984]

Pak-Turkey cooperation to benefit both countries
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ISLAMABAD: Joint ventures in processing, manufacturing and export of ceramic tiles, marble and other precious stones by Pakistan and Turkey would produce plenty of beneficial results for both countries.

President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI), Mian Shaukat Masud, expressed these views during a meeting between two member business delegation of Turkey of ceramic tiles and marble field, M/s. Ozlem Dogan and H. Noyan Altin who called on him at the ICCI.

He said that in Pakistan there was an increasing demand for machines manufacturing marble and granite as the country was home to world’s second largest marble and granite reserves.

The President added that we are currently using equipment imported from Germany for the processing of these stones. Noting that Turkey was one of the few big manufacturers of ceramic tiles, marble and granite processing equipment, Pakistan can establish close relations in this field with Turkey and could start procuring processing machines from it. staff report

 

[PakShaheen79]

Great News. Now this is what Potential Pakistan has due to its unique location on the map. Turkey must be just a mile stone Pakistan must focus Europe as final destination. Hell! Pakistan can have reach almost entire Europe through Train.

 

[Omar1984]

Pakistan Mulling Extension of ECO Railway to China
​

TEHRAN (FNA)- Pakistani Minister of Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour on Monday announced that the country is mulling the possibility for linking Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul railway to China.

"After the success of ECO (Economic Cooperation Organization) train, Islamabad is studying the railway between Pakistan-China," Bilour told FNA.

He also reiterated that Islamabad has assigned a consortium to examine the railway project between Pakistan and China.

Bilour highlighted that Islamabad and Beijing intend to start the project with a freight train in the first stage and they would consider operation of a business class passenger train at a later stage.

The first Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) freight started its operation from Islamabad on 14 August, Pakistan's National Day.

The 6,500-kilometer railroad is among ECO's major projects. 1,900 km out of the 6,506 km-long railway passes through Pakistan, 2,570 km through Iran and the remaining 2,036 km passes through Turkey.

The concept of such a train was proposed at the 18th Regional Planning Council of the ECO held in March 2008 in Islamabad.

The regular service of the train is expected to begin next year.

The ultimate aim of the project is to start a regular passenger train service between ECO member states and provide a link to Europe and Central Asia.

Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are member states of the ECO.

 

[ramiz1236]

a new bie question..when did we 3 countries made these railway lines??or is it just a new route on existing lines??any map of this??