Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, stated that the ECO Train on Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Route would provide impetus to the joint efforts aimed at promoting regional connectivity among the member countries.
Prime Minister Gilani said that future of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) rests on its ability to deliver concrete benefits to the 10 member states and the common prosperity of the ECO states depends on enhanced regional trade, energy cooperation and strengthened links. He reiterated the Government's intention to upgrade the existing railway track linking Pakistan with Iran, in particular the Quetta-Taftan segment, through a consortium of funding institutions.
The ECO Secretary General, Ambassador Muhammed Yahya Maroofi, in his inaugural statement, termed the test run of the demonstration container train as auspicious, as it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of Pakistan. Ambassador Maroofi hoped that this historical project will open a new era of socio-economic development and prosperity in the ECO region.
The Secretary General rated the demonstration run of the container train as a useful opportunity to exhibit to shippers, logistic companies and other potential consumers the feasibility of inland transportation from Pakistan to Iran and Turkey and constitute a significant milestone towards regular operations of the train. It would also enable us to identify and address any instituional, technical and commercial issues. The ECO has utilized the opportunity fo this test run to conduct a Field Survey to examine such issues on the ground. Five senior experts are accompanying the train along the whole route for this purpose.
Pakistani Minister for Railways Haji Gholam Ahmed Bilour also spoke on the Occasion. The minister said that Iran will provide trans-shipment facilities in Zahedan till a standard gauge line is laid between Zahedan and Mirjaveh. He said out of total 6,506 kilometers length of the 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 that Turkey and Iran already have railway link up at their borders and both have freight and passenger train services. 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. The minister added that by the time, the pilot freight train service got matured, other ECO member countries including Afghanistan might also join it.
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