National Logistics Cell (NLC) has completed first ever commercial road movement under TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transports) to Turkey and Azerbaijan.
The significant milestone which will pave the way for unlimited business opportunities in the regional markets 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.
Read more: Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul road corridor becomes operational for trade
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.
It should be mentioned that NLC is the second operator in Pakistan to start operating under TIR, and the first in the public sector. It would also be the first time Pakistani vehicles travelled across Iran using the TIR system.
I am very pleased to announce that under the TIR treaty, the first NLC truck transporting commodities from Pakistan ?? reached Turkey ?? via Iran ??. The NLC truck left Karachi on Sep 28 and reached Istanbul on Oct 7 covering the distance of 5300 KM. pic.twitter.com/h7xVckZdCq
— Abdul Razak Dawood (@razak_dawood) October 12, 2021
Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood on Saturday said the country needs to go for geographic diversification of exports by using Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) Convention as it guarantees export to Europe and Central Asia via Iran and Afghanistan.
“Unfortunately, Pakistan never used the TIR Convention under which we can send our goods to various European and Central Asian countries through land routes (both by road transport and train) via Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan. Under TIR, our trucks (carrying goods in containers), once checked and sealed in the home country, cannot be stopped and checked at any border on the way,” the adviser said while addressing the business community at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI).
