The first trucks under the National Logistics Cell’s Transports Internationaux Routiers program have reached their destinations in Turkey and Azerbaijan.
The trucks reached Istanbul and Baku via Tehran on 7 October, the official spokesperson for the National Logistics Cell’s (NLC) said, “The vehicles had moved from Karachi on Sept 27 and completed the journey of over 5,000 kilometers within 10 days.”
https://twitter.com/razak_dawood/status/1447793788022296579
The Minister for Commerce, Abdul Razak Dawood, tweeted the news.
The NLC spokesperson said that ceremonies were held in Istanbul and Baku to mark the occasion. The ceremony in Istanbul was held at Murat Bey Customs Post and was attended by senior officials from the Turkish government. Pakistan’s Ambassador in Turkey, Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, was also in attendance.
“The landmark step will strenÂgthen road connectivity between Pakistan and Turkey which will ultimately help in the promotion of bilateral trade,” he said.
The NLC’s Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) allows cargo to cross borders and move along trade routes with reduced procedural barriers. It also helps traders cut down on shipment and delivery time.
Under the program, high value goods are transported in containers that are sealed in legal procedures such as customs. Once the containers are sealed, they cannot be checked during their route and are only to be opened at their final destinations. This prevents delays and speeds up transportation.
The TIR admissions initiative and other similar programs are expected to boost exports and trade via smoother and faster cargo transportation. It is initially targeted at Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan, but is designed to be extended to other Central Asian countries.
