Islamabad: A major breakthrough has been made towards promoting trade ties between Pakistan and Russia, where it has been announced to run a direct freight train from Lahore to Russia from next month. The project is being described as the beginning of new avenues of economic cooperation between the two countries.

According to Foreign Office officials, the pilot phase of the project will be launched in August, under which the first freight train will consist of 16 bogies. The train will reach Russia via Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, which will provide a new land trade corridor in the Asian continent.

Officials say that through this rail service, various goods will be able to be delivered to Pakistan from Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, while Pakistani exports will also easily access Central Asian countries. This will not only increase bilateral trade but also create employment opportunities in the region.

It may be recalled that recently, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi visited Russia, where a protocol for the revival of Pakistan Steel Mills was signed, which is another example of the growing trust and economic cooperation between the two countries.

This project could prove to be a milestone connecting South and Central Asia, which will not only strengthen Pakistan’s economy but also promote regional cohesion and trade cooperation.