Abdul Aleem Khan. PHOTO: ONLINE
ISLAMABAD:
Federal Communications Minister Aleem Khan on Friday held separate high-level meetings with the transport ministers of Russia and Iran, focusing on improving transport, logistics and bilateral relations between Pakistan, Iran and Russia.
The meetings took place on the sidelines of the 2nd OIC Transport Ministers’ Conference in Istanbul, where Russian Deputy Transport Minister Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev and Iran’s Roads and Infrastructure Minister Farzaneh Sadegh met with Aleem Khan, a press release said.
It said Khan and Sadegh had discussions on the movement of commercial transport across the Pak-Iran border. They addressed current challenges and measures to improve facilitation and highlighted that the daily border crossing capacity could be increased from 200 trucks to 800 to 1,000 trailers.
Both ministers agreed on the need to further improve border parking facilities, bilateral arrangements and matters related to relevant institutions – especially the FBR, the Ministry of Commerce and the customs authorities.
Sadegh noted that conditions at the Pak-Iran border have improved, although there is still room for further progress. Reaffirming the commitment to strengthen deep brotherly ties, Khan stated that every Pakistani has sincere goodwill for Iran’s security and prosperity, the press release added.
The meeting also covered the Iranian Minister’s recent visit to Islamabad and the Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference in Pakistan and the promotion of positive engagement through the OIC platform. Sadegh appreciated the efforts of the Pakistani government and reiterated Iran’s commitment to strengthen cooperation.
During talks with the Russian Deputy Minister, both sides agreed that expanding direct land and air connectivity between Pakistan and Russia would significantly increase regional trade and economic activity. They emphasized on initiating practical steps, including the launch of direct Moscow-Islamabad flights, without delay.
During the meeting, Zverev formally invited Khan to attend the International Transport and Logistics Forum, scheduled to be held from 1-3. April 2026 in the historic Russian city of Saint Petersburg.
Emphasizing the need for concrete measures to strengthen cooperation in the transport sector, Khan stated that Pakistan is keen to cooperate with Russia on the development of the road network and logistics corridors.
The two sides also expressed firm commitment to resolve visa and related issues faced by Pakistani truck drivers. In addition, detailed discussions were held on expanding banking channels and removing financial bottlenecks between the two countries.
