ISLAMABAD/KARACHI - In a significant geopolitical and economic development, Pakistan has officially operationalized a new transit trade corridor through Iran, effectively bypassing Afghanistan and connecting its Karachi and Gwadar ports directly to Central Asian markets .
The move, finalized through the "Transit of Goods through Territory of Pakistan Order 2026" issued by the Ministry of Commerce, comes as a major blow to Kabul, which has traditionally served as the primary overland route for Pakistani goods heading north . The new framework officially notifies six designated land routes for transit goods to Iran, including the strategically critical Gwadar-Gabd corridor .
The inaugural shipment, comprising frozen beef, was successfully transported from Karachi to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, under the Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) system, marking the formal activation of the Pak-Iran Transit Corridor . Under the arrangement, consignments from Pakistan will move through Gwadar port - part of the $64 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) - then via Iranian territory to Central Asian states .
Officials have highlighted the staggering efficiency of the new route. Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Noorul Haq Baloch stated that the Gwadar-Gabd route reduces transit time by nearly 87% compared to traditional routes, with goods that previously took 18 hours to reach the Iranian border now arriving in just three hours, potentially cutting transport costs by 45-55% .
"The Iran corridor will open access to Iran and Central Asian states to the Pakistani ports of Karachi and Gwadar," a Directorate General of Transit Trade (DGTT) statement read . The development offers Pakistan an alternative to its traditional overland trade paths through Afghanistan, which have frequently been disrupted amid ongoing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul .
The strategic timing is notable. The corridor was activated as Pakistan mediated a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict, hosting rare US-Iran talks in Islamabad . Analysts link the development to improving bilateral relations between Islamabad and Tehran, with Pakistan having supported Iran at global forums including the UN Security Council .
Meanwhile, Pakistan's archrival India has been notably excluded from the new transit corridor. India had previously invested significantly in Iran's Chabahar Port to bypass Pakistan and access Central Asia, but has since scaled back its involvement following US sanctions .
The notification also allows Iran to import goods from third countries using Pakistani territory, with six transit routes formally designated to facilitate the trade . The framework comes as over 3,000 containers meant for Iran had remained stranded at Karachi Port due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz .
