The freight service to Istanbul via Tehran left Islamabad railway station on Wednesday in a ceremony which was also attended by the Uzbak and Kazakh ambassadors, whose countries would find along the route, and thus able to benefit from the service. The new service links up the old RCD members. RCD was formed along with the old Central Treaty Organisation of the 1960s, on the pattern of the European Union, which served as the political and economic platform for the European members of NATO. The RCD became the Economic Cooperation Organisation, which was expanded to include the ex-Soviet Central Asian Republics and Afghanistan. The new rail link overlaps the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, and though it does formally form a part of it, it clearly allows connectivity to all countries which can connect to one. It illustrates the flexibility and strength of the BRI concept, that while this service increases the trade opportunities among the three countries, it also allows China to use this route to Southern Europe out of Pakistan, or even the Central Asian Republics.
However, this service could be canceled if it is run at a loss. None of the railroads involved can afford to run it through a subsidy. It would be better if the three countries’ diplomatic missions acted to increase the trade, and thus the freight service demanded, among the countries involved. Such a service had been introduced in 2009, but had to be abandoned in 2011. Pakistan Railways now plans a weekly service. That a freight train is expected to cover the distance in 215 hours, without counting the time stationary at Zahidan in Iran, is reasonable, but is only acceptable for passenger traffic if the journey is continuous.
Railways Minister Azam Swati said at the inauguration that a passenger service was on the cards. That would involve visa issues,but Pakistani Interior Minister Sh Rsheed Ahmad would be ideally placed to solv them, being a former Railways Minister. It is necessary before passengers are added to the mix, that the freight operation be run smoothly, with the traditional safety and punctuality which railways are known for the world over.
