The Pakistani and international media widely covered the revival of the ECO Rail Corridor between Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, describing it as an attempt by the founders of the Economic Cooperation Organization to boost trade and regional communications.

The Urdu and English-language newspapers of Pakistan in their stories said the ECO train will change the fate of the nations of the region and bring prosperity and development.

In an exclusive interview with IRNA in Islamabad, the Pakistani Minister of Railways described the operations of the ECO freight train a great achievement for Imran Khan government and said that the development of the ECO Rail Corridor was of great importance to the Government and the Pakistani Ministry of Railways.

Azam Khan Swati said in 1966 when I was a student I traveled to Europe via Iran and Turkey in a passenger train.

“I as minister for railways is giving so much importance to ITI train and it is one of the biggest achievement of our government. When I met the ambassador of Iran I told him that now the second step is that how we can upgrade our train so it goes as fast as you want,” he said.

The minister added my team of Pakistan Railways was telling me that we will go for the standard gauge and we don’t have to unload train at Taftan to Zahedan for Europe and Central Asia so we will be able to go everywhere. 

“When I took over the portfolio of the railways minister the inauguration of ITI train was very important for me. Many people are interested in this train which will go a long way,” said Azam Khan Swati.

He noted businessmen are taking a lot of interest in this rail project. People of Pakistan love the people of Iran and our business connections need to be enhanced for through regional connectivity.

To a question, he said yes we have a plan to start a passenger train between Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey but currently I cannot give a specific time. “We will definitely revive this project in the future. Time will come when a passenger will travel to Istanbul from Islamabad through Iran,” he added.  

According to recent trade agreements between Iran and Pakistan as the main founders of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the resumption of the ECO freight train is a step towards regional connectivity.

After the recent visit of the Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan for Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood to Iran and holding of ninth Joint Trade Committee meeting, officials of the two neighboring countries expressed readiness to develop the ECO corridor, especially the resumption of container train between Tehran, Islamabad, and Istanbul.