ISLAMABAD (APP): Pakistan-Iran-Turkey road and rail corridor dream is being operationalised in order to enhance the regional connectivity.

A working group is already functional in this regard and has previously held three meetings.

Fourth high level Working Group Meeting is being held on August 17-18 here to finalize the operational modalities of Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA) signed by Pakistan,Iran and Turkey.

Under the agreement two corridors have been established; Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) Rail Corridor, and Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) Road Corridor,an official of Ministry of Communications told APP on Tuesday.

The Rail Corridor was operationalized, however, it has been halted due to few impediments which are being removed by the Railway Authorities of en route countries, he added.

He said that efforts were being made to operationalize the ITI Road Corridor.

He said that in the past three meeting were held under the umbrella of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), was an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey for the purpose of promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation among the Member States.

Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA) developed by ECO with the assistance of UNCTAD was signed by all ECO member countries except Uzbekistan in May 1998.

TTFA is a broad based agreement with 8 Protocols approved by 3rd ECO Ministerial meeting on Transport & Communications held in Islamabad in April 2000, dealing with the road, rail and inland water transportation, motor vehicles including 3rd party policy insurance, custom control and ToRs for Transit Transport Co-ordination Council (TTCC).

The main objective of TTFA is to provide access to land-locked countries in the ECO region.

TTFA has been ratified by 8 member states of ECO namely; Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iran, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkey. Pakistan had ratified the agreement.