ISLAMABAD (Daily Times) – Pakistan and Iran have agreed to start a regular passenger bus service between Quetta and Mashhad via Dalbandin and Zahedan.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Communication issued a statement saying that the decision had been taken on the fourth two-day meeting of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Commission on Road Transportation held in the Iranian city of Zahedan on May 30-31.

Officials said that another meeting would be held between the two sides in two months in Tehran to finalize the modalities of the bus service and other related issues.

During this latest round of talks, Islamabad and Tehran reviewed the implementation status of decisions agreed upon during the last three meetings of the Joint Commission and vowed to take all necessary measures to facilitate road transportation between the two countries, with a view to boosting bilateral trade and strengthening the economies of both sides.

Communications Ministry joint secretary, Firdaus Alam, led the 12-member delegation from the Pakistan side, while the Iranian delegation was led by Ali Raza Mojarrad, director general of Transportation and Terminal Organization of Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Both sides agreed to issue six-month multiple entry visas to bus drivers from the two countries, with Pakistan proposing to extend the duration stay of businessmen from both sides from 30 to 60 days.

Alam informed the meeting that work on the construction of 3 kilometers of road to Taftan border would be completed within six months.

The Iranian side said it was ready to grant Pakistan technical assistance on road construction and maintenance. Alam welcomed the proposal, inviting Iranian road construction companies to participate in the bidding for National Highway Authority international tenders.

The next meeting of the Pak-Iran Joint Commission is scheduled to take place in Pakistan.