Thefirst Pakistan TIR transport leaves Karachi today, bound for Kabul via Peshawarand Jalalabad.

SHARJAH, UNITED ARABEMIRATES - EQS - 13 October 2018 - IRUmember, PNC-ICC, issued the first TIR carnet this week to Pakistani transportoperator, TCS Logistics, ahead of the departure today, which is marked by aceremony in Karachi.

Today's launch follows recent meetings in Istanbulbetween Afghanistan and Pakistan -- where TIR was highlighted as the customsstandard to facilitate transport and transit between the two countries and thetwo TIR actors agreed to initiate test operations from Karachi to Kabul andvice versa.

Savings in time and costs were already reported by anAfghan transport operator last week, which sent three trucks from Torkham, Afghan-Pakistanborder crossing point, to Dushanbe, Tajikistan using TIR. TIR was alsoparticularly useful in avoiding large trans-shipment costs at the border withTajikistan.

IRUSecretary General, Umberto de Pretto, said, 

"WithThe TIR system now live in Pakistan, we will see the potential unleashed forPakistan to become a pivotal transit country linking China to the Middle Eastand Africa."

Mr. Muhammad Javed Ghani, Director General TransitTrade from Pakistan Customs added,

"The TIR system offers a solution for harmonisedprocesses at borders across the region and we should now see cross bordertransport and transit become much more streamlined and secured."

Tariq M. Rangoonwala, Chair of PNC-ICC, added,

"We are delighted to see the first TIR trucks leavingKarachi today. This is the next milestone in our strategy to streamlinetransport and trade in the region, which will benefit the economies and thecommunities along these corridors in Pakistan and beyond."

There is nowfull momentum to use TIR in more transit routes from neighbouring countriesincluding Pakistan and Iran to Central Asia to reduce the cost and time ofregional transports even further. The activation of these corridors, whichstraddle East and West, is critical to the development of the region and theadvancement of trade.

Nextsteps include the activation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)under the TIR system, which will connect China with the Middle East and Africa.

Inaddition, the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad trade corridor, which has the potentialto link Pakistan to the markets of Iran, Central Asia, Turkey and eventually Europewill be activated under TIR system and saw the first inbound TIR operation fromIran to Pakistan earlier this year.

Notes

About TIR
The onlyglobal customs transit system for moving goods across international borders,TIR "TransportsInternationaux Routiers" has been supporting trade and development for more than 60years, by allowing customs-sealed vehicles and freight containers to transitcountries with minimal border checks. It is governed by the UnitedNations TIR Convention and managed by the world road transport organisation,IRU. Pakistan's national issuing and guaranteeingassociation is the Pakistan National Committee of theInternational Chamber of Commerce (PNC-ICC).

About IRU
IRU is the world road transport organisation,promoting economic growth, prosperity and safety through the sustainablemobility of people and goods. Founded in 1948, IRU has members and activitiesin more than 100 countries.

AboutPNC-ICC
Foundedin 1955, the Pakistan National Committee of the International Chamber ofCommerce is a multilateral rule-making body for promoting trade and investment.It is the designated National Guaranteeing and Issuing Organisation for TIR inPakistan and has established a purpose-built TIR Center in Karachi for theadministration of the system.