ISLAMABAD, April 18: Pakistan is developing a National Trade Corridor to create transport links with the neighbouring countries to promote trade and people-to-people contacts in the region.

The NTC will connect Pakistan with China, Iran, Central Asian Republics, Turkey, Middle East and India. Internally, it will connect places in the north with ports in Karachi and Gawadar, said senior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan in a speech at the 7th ECO ministerial meeting on transport and communications being held in Turkey. The NTC will be completed by 2010, the minister said.

A statement issued here by the communications ministry said the senior minister lauded the achievements of ECO in certain areas but pointed out that much more needed to be done in other fields.

About the land and sea transport projects in Pakistan he said that the newly-constructed Makran Coastal Highway had immense importance not only for transit trade for the Central Asian Republics but also for other neighbouring countries. He said that railways operation under the NTC plan would also be developed.

Chaudhry Nisar said that Pakistan’s recent membership of Transport Corridor Euro-Caucuses (Traceca) would enable it to work as a regional hub for international trade and provide a land bridge between China, Middle East and the Gulf countries.

Pakistan’s contributions will promote inter-regional cooperation, trade and tourism, he said.

He also informed the ECO transport ministers about Pakistan’s Trans-Asian Railway Network and Quetta-Taftan Railway Route, and said that efforts would be made to make it a success.

Chaudhry Nisar accepted a proposal of the ECO to launch a demonstration train from Islamabad to Tehran and Istanbul at the earliest possible time. He assured that Pakistan would follow up all ECO decisions and plans of actions with sincerity and earnestness.

He appreciated the ECO’s achievements on Transit Transport Framework Agreement which is a tool for removal of non-physical barriers and harmonisation of transport operations and regulations.

Its enforcement, he said, would streamline the transport operations and services and bridge the gap between member countries.

Chaudhry Nisar appreciated the performance of ECO in developing regional cooperation in trade, industry, transport, communications, energy and information technology.