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Pakistan-Turkey to start $ 20 billion upgradation project on Islamabad-Istanbul rail

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Pakistan-Turkey to start $ 20 billion upgradation project on Islamabad-Istanbul rail link
By Farooq Ahmed

ISTANBUL, JAN. 25, (APP): Pakistan and Turkey agreed Monday to undertake a US $ 20 billion project to upgrade a railway link from Islamabad to Istanbul, basically to speedily transport cargo from Pakistan to Turkey and ultimately to Europe. This was decided in a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. The meeting continued for well over one hour as President Abdullah Gul said that three companies of his country were interested in constructing Bhasha-Diamer Dam in Pakistan.



President Zardari is only a four-day visit of Turkey to attend Trilateral Summit as well as Istanbul Summit on Afghan issue besides discussing bilateral matters with Turkish leaders.
The five-year rail project envisages to curtainI travel time between Islamabad and Istanbul, via Tehran, from the current 11 days to ultimately three-four days as a track between the two cities already existed but facilities available required upgradation.
Emphasising that Pakistan and Turkey needed to intensify cooperation in various fields, with focus on economic ties, President Zardari said that Rail link of Pakistan with Turkey, via Tehran, would play a crucial role to achieve these objectives.
“Transportation of cargo by Air has become expensive while sea trade is normally slow”, President Zardari said. “So the cargo rail link could provide a speedier option to expand economic ties between the two countries as well as with Iran”.
A comprehensive presentation was given to the Pakistani and Turkish Presidents on the 6,566 kilometres Rail project from Islamabad to Istanbul, via Tehran, with 1,990 kilometres track situated in Pakistan, 2,570 kilometres in Iran and 2,006 kilometres in Turkey.
“This rail link will strengthen Pakistan’s economic as well as people to people ties with not only brotherly Muslim countries but also onwards to Europe”, remarked President Zardari who floated the Islamabad-Istanbul cargo train idea last year when an experimental train was run on the route on his initiative on August 14.
He also stressed that the areas around the rail track should also be developed so that benefits of increased trade could be passed on to the respective people.
Zardari impressed upon business community of Turkey to not only enhance trade relations with Pakistan but also to take advantage of lucrative investment opportunities in his country. “I paid my first foreign visit to Turkey as PPP Co-Chairman after the martyrdom of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto”, the President said. “It reflects the importance the democratic government of Pakistan attaches to relations with Turkey”.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that besides constructing Diamar-Bhasha Dam through its private sector, Turkey also planned to open branch of a Turkish bank in Pakistan, probably in Islamabad.
Gul invited Zardari to a state visit of Turkey, which the latter accepted with visit to take place at a mutually convenient date.
An Urdu-Turkish and Turkish-Urdu dictionary, compiled by an Ankara-based Pakistani, Dr. Furqan Hameed, was also presented to the two Heads of State.
 
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From last 10 years, I heard number of rail projects.....none ever completed or acknowledged nation.

China Pak Train project.
Under grund Train proj.
Buillet Trains
Metropolitan train proj

and now
Islamabad-Istanbul prj......lets see if it ever completes
 
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There is already a rail-link and one innaguration journey was also made, now this track is not going to be laid newly but repaired, so lets have some high hopes.
 
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Aww you beat me to it! I just posted a story about this on the TechLahore blog :-) Here it is anyway:

Pakistan and Turkey to collaborate on $20B rail link. Pakistan to connect to the EU via train. | TechLahore

For all the negative crap in the media about Pakistan, you wouldn’t know news from reality until you kept your eye on the massive economic and infrastructure deals Pakistan’s been busy inking! Pakistan and Turkey, in particular, have really stepped up joint projects in the recent past. I’ve been trying to keep up with various civil and military initiatives that the two countries are undertaking and it’s getting to be quite a list. For example, the upgradation of Pakistan Air Force F-16 jets in Turkey and the potential purchase of ATAK T-129 gunship helicopters from Turkey’s TAI Aselsan corporation are just two examples. Collaboration on the construction of Pakistan’s huge Bhasha Hydroelectric Dam and expansion of Turkish banks into Pakistan are two others.

However, today’s announcements trumps everything else. Meeting with President Zardari in Ankara, President Abdullah Gul announced that Pakistan, Iran and Turkey will be working on an over $20B project to significantly uprade the rail infrastructure in all three countries and create a single integrated line that will connect Pakistan directly with the EU. [CONTINUED HERE]
 
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Thank you ALMIGHTY GOOD NEWS PEOPLE LONG LIVE OUR TWO TRUSTED BROTHERS TURKEYE AND CHINA.............
 
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$20 billion? :blink: :blink:

Is Zardari giving some of his personal money? :D or Is he merely investing his own personal in this project to benefit from it?

He is definately doing on of the above !
 
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This news is a good one if ever achieve the goal

I hope we do
 
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Awsome news i hope this comes in to reallity soon.

Yes and we will fly our Tomcat and Super hornet over that Rail track to go for exercise with our Turkish brothers's F-35's.:pakistan:
 
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In all probability, its perhaps a journalism error in reporting the figure. There is just no way they will build a $20billion rail link.
 
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i am only concern about americans will they allow such economic up lifting project to be carriedout by the three countries which will be helpful especially for iran.:undecided:
 
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i am only concern about americans will they allow such economic up lifting project to be carriedout by the three countries which will be helpful especially for iran.:undecided:

First of all, the rail link already exists. Through this project, it will be upgraded to allow for higher speed trains to traverse it.

Secondly, the Iran-Pakistan pipeline is a case in point. That could not be stopped because it was in the interest of both countries. This project will similarly go through because it is in the interest of all three countries, and in fact, the region as a whole.

I am really disappointed with the naysaying going on here. What is that expression about it being better to light a candle than to curse the darkness?
 
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