KARACHI: Leaders of the United Business Group have suggested that Pakistan, Iran and Turkey should initiate launching of passenger train so that tourism could have brighter prospects in ECO region.

President Zubair F Tufail, Secretary General Zafar Bakhtawari and other members of UBG congratulated Shah Mahmood Qureshi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Azam Khan Swati Minister of Railways, and Abdul Razak Dawood Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce on inauguration of ITI cargo train.

They termed launching of Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul freight train as a milestone in expansion of commercial and economic activities in ECO region, they said ITI freight train was a long-standing desire of the business community of Pakistan, Iran and Turkey which has now turned into reality.

The freight train will go a long way in bringing the business community of ECO countries closer, resulting in expansion of economic ties and regional connectivity and also to explore new avenues for expansion of trade. The volume of import and export will rapidly short up in the times to come in these three important countries of ECO while significant economy growth will be witnessed in entire ECO region.

The UBG leaders said that the length of ITI railway is 6500km of which 2570 km is in Iran, 2000km is in Turkey and about 1900km in Pakistan which take less than half the shipping time and will also be safer and more economical as compared to road.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022