Freight train likely to link Pakistan, Russia; trial run begins in March: Pak minister

Islamabad, Dec 6 (PTI) Russia and Pakistan are set to be linked by freight train line that will pass through Iran and Azerbaijan with the first trial run likely to take place in March next year, a Pakistan minister has said in an interview to Russia Today.

The development comes after Islamabad and Moscow signed eight memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering various sectors, including health, trade, industrial cooperation, and education on Wednesday.

These agreements were reached during the meeting of the 9th Inter-Governmental Commission, which was established about a decade ago, at Moscow held from December 2 to 4.

Earlier, Pakistan’s ambassador to Moscow, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, had expressed his country’s readiness to join the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200 km-long route connecting Russia and Central Asia with India via Iran, at this summer’s International IT Forum in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia Today, a state-run news channel, said on Thursday.

Islamabad’s Energy Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari told Russia Today: “As early as March next year, the first south-north train trial run will transport goods from Russia to Pakistan via Iran and Azerbaijan.”

He also mentioned the ongoing talks between Moscow and Islamabad regarding the establishment of direct air service between the two countries, highlighting “interest from both sides” to establish airline connectivity “very soon.”

“It has both political and economic dimensions that Pakistan and Russia haven’t seen for a while,” Leghari asserted.

The minister stressed the significance of several initiatives being discussed by the two governments, as they “make it easier for our people to interact, and for businesses to flourish and communicate.”

Russia’s ambassador to Pakistan indicated in January that “bilateral trade is showing positive dynamics.”

Trade turnover between the two nations stands at approximately USD 1 billion.

However, Leghari noted that there was a trade imbalance between Russia and Pakistan, and called it “a serious one.”

“We’re also wanting to work towards an environment where the balance is more balanced,” he told Russia Today, noting that Pakistan, as a large producer of agricultural commodities, could be an important provider of food to Russia.

Pakistan has also proposed that Russia participate in oil and gas exploration on its shelf, as well as in oil refining, according to Moscow’s Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin.

“Stable supplies of Russian oil to Pakistan are ongoing, and all technical and financial issues are being promptly resolved by both sides,” he said, adding that work is underway to increase these supplies and diversify the range of products.

Bilateral transport and logistics projects were also discussed between the countries in October during the visit of a delegation from Russia’s Federation Council to Islamabad.

Chairperson Valentina Matvienko emphasised the importance of new logistics corridors and welcomed Pakistan’s interest in this project.