LAHORE: Pakistan Railway is all set to resume the freight train service between Pakistan and Iran which was almost abandoned in 2010.
According to reports, the service is expected to resume from today (Tuesday) which will run a train in a week between Quetta and Zahidan in a week. The number of trains will increase gradually.
Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said that the railway was also ready to run ECO train but it was waiting Turkey’s response in this regard.
Gul Train or ECO Train is a proposed international freight train project between Islamabad, Pakistan and Istanbul, Turkey via Tehran, Iran.
“We are ready to start service but the Turkish government is maintaining track between Ankara and Istanbul. Once they complete the work, the service will start,” said the minister.
The freight train service was at peak between Quetta (Balochistan capital) and Zahidan (the capital city of Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran) in 2005-06 but it almost abandoned in 2010 due to poor infrastructure of railways at around 600km long route from Quetta to Taftan—the starting point of Iran border—and law and order situation in Balochistan.
The PR had also started the maintenance work on track and announcing special hardship allowance to the workers.
