The trial run of the rail freight connection between Russia and Pakistan follows a memorandum of understanding signed last summer. The freight train will leave Pakistan for Iran, and from there continue northward into Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and lastly, Russia. Both countries are looking to use the service for various export products.
Pakistani textiles, food products and agricultural produce such as rice, wheat and cotton will be making their way onto the Russian and Central Asian markets, according to Pakistani media. In the opposite direction, Russian oil, gas, steel and other industrial goods will be exported to Pakistan.
The Pakistani state rail freight operator, PRFTC, said that the freight service would operate from the Qasim International Container Terminal and the Pakistan International Container Terminal. It offers transportation for 22-tonne and 44-tonne containers.