Lahore (TDI): The government has announced plans to revive the Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul (ITI) freight train service by December 31, pending the conclusion of discussions on tradable goods and the resolution of remaining administrative, logistical, and operational challenges.
Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi said the long-awaited service would reconnect Pakistan with Türkiye via Iran, significantly boosting regional trade once operations resume.
“We had initially hoped to restart the ITI service earlier, but regional instability, particularly the war involving Israel, caused delays,” the minister told reporters at the Pakistan Railways Headquarters on Sunday.
“Now, both sides are finalising trade arrangements to determine what goods will be exchanged between Pakistan and Türkiye. Once those details are settled, we aim to relaunch the service by December 31,” he added.
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The minister revealed that the government also plans to sign a rail connectivity agreement with Kazakhstan through the Chaman route, linking Pakistan to Central Asia’s broader network. “We already have an agreement with Uzbekistan, and the Kazakhstan deal will be next. From Chaman, our rail network can eventually reach Russia and Europe,” he said.
The ITI freight service was last revived on December 21, 2021, after nearly a decade of suspension. Trains reached Türkiye the following January, operating successfully until August 2022. However, service quality issues, coupled with administrative delays, inconsistent schedules, and customs bottlenecks, slowed progress before the operation came to a halt.
The 2022 floods in Sindh and Balochistan further devastated rail infrastructure, including the collapse of the 140-year-old Hirok Bridge, severing the link between Quetta and Dozan. Efforts to restore the service in 2023 were postponed, despite the rail link’s partial restoration earlier that year.
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Another major setback occurred when the Turkish freight forwarder partnering with the ITI service withdrew over payment delays from Pakistani freight companies. Although it later agreed to work directly with Pakistan Railways, officials failed to act promptly, causing further disruptions.
High tariffs, unreliable schedules, and weak security protocols had also discouraged traders. “These are among the key issues we are addressing before restarting operations,” Abbasi noted.
