ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran on Friday agreed to strengthen cooperation in railways and regional connectivity to boost trade and infrastructure links between the two neighbors, state media reported.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi and Iran’s Minister of Road and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadiq on the sidelines of the Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference in Islamabad.
Abbasi told the Iranian minister bilateral ties had witnessed “notable improvement in recent years.”
“He highlighted that Pakistan’s railway system has been connected with Iran’s network since 1917, underlining the need to further strengthen infrastructure and operational cooperation,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
Both sides discussed expanding freight operations and enhancing cross-border linkages as part of efforts to improve regional trade routes.
The Pakistani minister said railways in his country were undergoing a comprehensive modernization program to improve efficiency and regional trade connectivity.
He added that freight transport from Karachi Port would be upgraded and work on the 884-kilometer Rohri-Kundi section connecting Sindh to southwestern Balochistan was expected to begin soon.
Iran and Pakistan, which share a 900-kilometer border, have been working to expand cooperation in transport and energy sectors as part of broader efforts to enhance regional connectivity and boost economic integration.
