Pakistan Railways on Saturday inaugurated a first-ever train service that would exclusively transport Afghan transit cargo from Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi to Afghanistan border.
The first train on the route departed from the Pakistan International Container Terminal in Karachi with 35 containers on board for the country’s southwest Chaman city bordering Afghanistan, from where the goods will be shifted across the border to Kandahar via road.
A total of five to seven trains will run on the route, shifting up to 500 containers every month, Pakistan Railways Chairman Habib-ur-Rehman Gilani said at the launching ceremony.
“The project will help increase the revenue of Pakistan Railways and will also reduce the heavy traffic flow from major roads and highways, besides providing cheap and smooth cargo services to traders with little loss risks in terms of damages,” said the official, adding that the cargo will reach the Afghan border in 48 hours.
Pakistan originally planned to launch Afghan transit cargo train service in 2017, but the plan it was delayed reportedly due to security issues.
