Pakistan, Aug. 1 -- Pakistan and Turkiye agreed in principle on Friday to work toward the early revival of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train and develop it into a permanent commercial trade corridor, the Pakistani railways ministry said, as the two countries sought to deepen rail connectivity linking South Asia, Central Asia and Europe.

Launched in 2009 under the Economic Cooperation Organization, the 6,500-kilometer ITI freight corridor runs through Pakistan, Iran and Turkiye but has operated only intermittently since being suspended in 2012 due to security and operational challenges. Pakistan and Iran agreed in December 2025 to resume the service.

The latest understanding between Islamabad and Ankara was reached during...