Pakistan Railways (PR) confirmed that the departure of the first-ever freight train to Russia has been cancelled due to regional instability caused by the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.Â
The train, initially scheduled to leave Lahore on June 22, will now be postponed indefinitely due to border closures between Pakistan, Iran, and other affected transit countries.
The freight train was set to be a historic milestone for Pakistan Railways, marking the beginning of a direct overland trade route to Russia. It was planned to carry sixteen freight wagons loaded with goods destined for the Russian city of Astrakhan, with plans to gradually increase the number of containers in future operations.
The new trade corridor was part of Pakistan Railways’ broader strategy to enhance trade connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia, aiming to facilitate imports and exports directly with Russia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. The freight train was expected to transit through Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan before reaching Russia.
However, due to the ongoing security risks associated with the conflict, the departure of the train has been put on hold until the situation stabilises. Railway officials stated that the operation will only resume once the security conditions improve and the conflict comes to an end.
