ISLAMABAD — India which has made huge investment on Chabahar Port andtermed it a strategic port in its ambitions to bypass Pakistan and reachCAR is feeling frustrated after Iran termed Gwadar and Chabahar as sisterports and invited Pakistan to invest in the port.
Earlier Iran’s Minister of Road and Urban Development arrived in Pakistanand underlined that railway link between Chabaharlink> and Gwadarlink>ports would prove to be a majorstep for the development of the two ports.
Addressing a joint press conference with Pakistan’s Minister for Ports andShipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo here, Abbas Akhundi said that Iran is readyto cooperate with Pakistan in all fields.
‘Iran and Pakistan are two friendly states which share long border and weconsider development of Pakistan as our development,’ he added.
Akhundi viewed that development of the regional states is very importantfor the security of the area so we think that development of both Iran andPakistan at the same time is extremely important.
“I have come to Pakistan with a large delegation at the invitation ofPakistan’s Minister of Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and myobjective is to enhance road, railway and air links with Pakistan,” he said.
Akhundi said that last year about 200,000 Pakistani citizens traveled toIran adding that this figure can be increased which could help people ofboth countries to come close to each other.
He said that Chabahar link> port ofIran and Gwadar link> port of Pakistanare sister ports, adding that Iran would welcome the ferry service betweenChabahar link> and Karachi portswhich could be extended to other ports of Iran.
The Iranian official went on to say that any transship facility betweenChabahar link> and Gwadarlink>ports would also be a welcomingdevelopment.
“We are also ready to provide rail and road transit facilities to Pakistaniport of Gwadar link> to central Asiancountries,” he added.
The minister added that Iran is also willing to open more border pointswith Pakistan.
He also said that railway link between Chabaharlink> and Gwadarlink>ports would prove to be a majorstep for the cooperation of the two ports.
“We are also ready to start direct flights between the bordering cities ofIran and Pakistan,” he noted.
He expressed the hope that his visit would prove to be fruitful forenhancing cooperation between the two countries.