National Logistic Cell (NLC) is all set to transport high-value products from Pakistan to Turkey starting from the last week of this month.
The revolutionary move of NLC to function road-based transport and trade between Pakistan and Turkey is an attempt to revive the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad (ITI) road corridor. The revitalization of ITI road corridor would help Pakistan in strengthening its regional connectivity with Turkey and Iran.
“In the last week of this month, we are well prepared to start transporting high-value products loaded in 40-feet containers on three trailers from Islamabad to Istanbul via Taftan, Zahidan and Tehran. It will be our first commercial run to revive the ITI-road corridor,” said the NLC General Manager Shoaib Khakwani.
The Pakistan National Authorisation Committee of International Transport Union last month granted special Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) license to the national flag carrier, NLC, to carry out transport operations for regional connectivity. With the TIR admission, the NLC can transport cargo across the borders without procedural hiccups.
“We (The NLC), following the government’s vision of establishing regional connectivity, want to contribute in increasing the regional trade to strengthen Pakistan’s economic stability, as the TIR status we have achieved is the key for the growth of local industry,” added Mr. Khakwani.
High-value products to be transported:
High-value products are packaged and sealed properly and transported through containers to ensure safe delivery. These products include:
- Raw materials
- Textile-related equipments
- Electronics
- Household items
- Plastic
- Home appliances
- Computers
- Non-perishable food items
- Dry fruit
- Carpets
- Furniture
Business Leaders welcomed the move:
Businesses of Pakistan and Turkey welcomed NLC’s decision in a meeting held on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Pakistan-Turkish Joint Business Council of FPCCI Amjad Rafi, diplomats, industrial and trade leaders of the two countries, and high-ranking government functionaries.
Amjad Rafi addressing the meeting said the move will help save the shipment time as well as shipment cost.
“This will not only save shipment time but freight cost will also come down which has increased more than five times by sea at present,” said Rafi. “This was a long pending ‘recommendation’ of PTJBC in all joint meetings and other relevant forums. If this goes through, in the longer run CIS countries on one side and Europe on the other will be accessible through land route,” he added.
Turkey’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul said the current level of bilateral trade of around $1 billion could easily be enhanced to $5 billion in a span of few years; provided the two countries, “strengthen B2B relations and target the right sectors & industries.”