Iranian railways' delegation meets Sheikh Rasheed

LAHORE: A delegation of Iranian railways has met the Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, ARY News reported on Monday.

The meeting was held to discuss different aspects of enhancing connectivity of both countries through rail networks.

Rasheed said that a portion of national economies of Islamabad and Tehran was dependent on railway sector. He said that Pakistan wanted to reduce distances between both countries through upgradation of rail networks.

On March 6, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed had underlined the need to strengthen the two-way cooperation between Pakistan and Iran in rail sector.

This he stated while talking to Islamic Republic News Agency during his visit to Iran.

The federal minister maintained that Pakistan can send its products to Central Asian and European states using the Iranian rail network.

Rasheed said Iran and Pakistan should cooperate in building railway links between Taftan and Quetta and Chahbahar and Gwadar.

He said Pakistan has requested the Iranian authorities to invest in improving Zahidan, Taftan railways and Iranian counterparts have assured to cooperate.

He relayed that during his meeting with Iranian Minister for Roads and Urban Development Muhammad Eslami, they discussed enhancing cooperation in railway.

On March 13, The federal minister had exchanged views on matters relating to restoration of Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul container train with the Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Dr Hadi Soleimanpour who had arrived on his four-day visit to Pakistan.

Soleimanpour and Rasheed had agreed to activate contacts between Pakistan, Iran and Turkey in order to resume the railroad project.

Rasheed had said that the Quetta-Taftan railway track project would be completed on build–operate–transfer (BOT) basis by the federal government.

The federal minister urged the ECO community to provide assistance in the promotion of the rail sector. He added that precedence will be given to foreign investments in different projects initiated by the Ministry of Railways.