Pakistan has officially operationalized a new transit trade corridor through Iran, dispatching its first commercial export shipment to Uzbekistan via the new route.

The first consignment, consisting of frozen beef, was transported in trucks from Karachi and is en route to Tashkent via Iran, passing through the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing, The Caspian Post reports via Arab News.

The move marks a strategic shift in Pakistan’s trade logistics as the country seeks alternative overland routes to Central Asia, amid repeated disruptions along traditional corridors through Afghanistan.

Pakistan has faced ongoing instability along its Afghan border in recent months, with clashes and temporary closures of key crossings constraining regional trade and limiting access to landlocked Central Asian markets.

“The Iran corridor will open access to Iran and Central Asian states to the Pakistani ports of Karachi and Gwadar,” the Directorate General of Transit Trade said in a statement.

Officials added that Pakistan Customs and the Commerce Ministry are working jointly to expand international transshipment capacity through the country’s ports, including upgraded storage facilities at off-dock terminals.

The statement also noted that key border crossing points such as Taftan, Rimdan, Sost, and Gwadar have been enabled by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) to facilitate international road transit operations.

“These steps will support increased port activities, facilitate international trade and transshipment infrastructure at Karachi and Gwadar ports,” the statement said, adding that rising trade volumes will benefit both Pakistan and regional economies.

The development comes as Pakistan seeks to stabilize its economy under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. The IMF recently reached a staff-level agreement that could unlock about $1.2 billion in funding under its lending facilities.

In recent months, Islamabad has stepped up efforts to expand trade links and remove export bottlenecks as part of broader economic reforms aimed at strengthening growth and external balances.