Despite heavy snowfall on its journey to Istanbul, the third train carrying products from Pakistan has arrived in Turkey, marking the successful resumption of service for the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train, which had been dormant for nearly a decade.
By Wednesday, the train is expected to arrive at its destination. Extreme weather conditions, according to officials, prompted delays during the journey, which began on January 23 in Islamabad.
Two more international freight trains will leave the Aza Khel dry port, about 153 kilometres from Islamabad, for Istanbul in the next ten days, most likely on February 21, according to a senior Pakistan Railways official.
“The third freight train carrying high-value items, as requested by Turkey, has also entered Turkey and will arrive in Istanbul by Wednesday,” stated an official in charge of ITI operations when contacted by Dawn on Saturday.
“The train passed through Pakistan’s Lahore, Khanewal, Bahawalpur, Sukkur, Spenzand, Sibi, Nushki, Taftan, and Iran’s Zahidan and Tehran,” he explained.
