NLC completes TIR round trip to Turkey & Azerbaijan

Rawalpindi: National Logistics Cell (NLC) has completed first ever commercial road movement under TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transports) to Turkey and Azerbaijan paving the way for unlimited business opportunities in the regional markets, says a press release.

This significant milestone was achieved by NLC with all-out support from transport ministries, customs, transit trade departments and other stakeholders of Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan.Four vehicles loaded with textile products, tyres and other export goods crossed Taftan for its onward journey to Turkey and Azerbaijan. Two vehicles reached Istanbul in ten days covering a distance of 4890 kilometres while the other two vehicles reached Baku in eight days by covering a distance of 3,680 kilometres.

The vehicles successfully completed round trip carrying import goods including glass wool raw material and electronics, etc., to Lahore and Islamabad. The trucks returned to Pakistan within stipulated time of two weeks from Azeri capital Baku and Turkish city of Istanbul.

Business community from various fields related to logistics including importers / exporters, ECO Secretariat, Secretary General International Road Union (IRU) and senior government officials of Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan welcomed (TIR) operations by NLC and termed it a significant step towards revival of long-awaited Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) corridor.

NLC is planning to shortly undertake further regional trade operations to Turkey under TIR. Plans are also afoot to extend road operations under TIR to China and other Central Asian Republics in near future.