NTCIP moving in right Direction: PC
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Planning Commission of Pakistan here on Tuesday said that National Trade Corridor Improvement Programme (NTCIP) was moving in the right direction.
The Planning Commission had convened 10th meeting of NTC Task Force to review the implementation status of various activities under NTC strategic framework.
Chairing the meeting, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Dr. Akram Sheikh said, “this is a major strategic initiative to improve the logistics chain throughout the country to interlink it with all three adjoining regions of South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia.”
“Since inception, substantial progress has been made,” he said adding that “undoubtedly NTCIP is moving in the right direction.”
The NTC Task Force meeting was attended by; High officials from FBR, Ministry of Railways of Communications, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Ports and Shipping, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and livestock and National Highway Authority.
Other senior government officials and heads of relevant organizations along with the representatives from the development partners; World Bank, Asian Development Bank were also present in the meeting.
The Task Force reviewed the overall progress of all sectors including; Ports and Shipping, Railways, Trucking, Trade Facilitation, Highways, Aviation and Air transport, Energy logistics and cool chain.
The operations of KPT, Port Qasim Gawadar Port were also reviewed during the meeting to enhance their efficiency.
The meeting was informed that four “Express Freight Trains” and one wheat special train running daily from Karachi to Lahore has been started. Door to door cargo services have been introduced from Faislabad to Lahore which will be expanded further to major cities.
The meeting was told that construction of multimodal-agency border terminal was completed at Jamroud. The Chaman and Taftan border terminals were under construction, while the cargo handing operation at Wahgo border terminal will start shortly.
It was agreed during the meeting that for implementation of the recently approved trucking policy the Ministry of Industries, Production and Special Initiatives will establish a management unit for implementation of trucking policy.
The Task Force established a committee on Public Private Partnership for NTC to accelerate private sector investment in infrastructure along the corridor. Consideration will also be given to develop in-land water transport system along the Indus.