Over the past two years, Pakistan’s logistics sector has entered a phase of recalibration, driven by the need to reduce trade costs, diversify export routes, and improve regional connectivity. At the centre of this shift is the National Logistics Corporation (NLC), an organisation long associated with domestic transport and infrastructure support, now increasingly positioned as a strategic enabler of trade, transit, and economic integration.
This period of transformation has unfolded under the leadership of Major General Farrukh Shahzad Rao, who assumed charge as Director General of NLC in 2023. During this time, the organisation has pursued a more outward-looking strategy, emphasising international partnerships, overland trade corridors, and value-added logistics services—reflecting a broader effort to align Pakistan’s logistics backbone with regional and global supply chains.
Institutional Reform and Strategic Orientation
A critical milestone during this phase was the enactment of the NLC Act 2023, which formally transformed the National Logistics Cell into the National Logistics Corporation. The change strengthened NLC’s corporate identity and governance framework, enabling it to operate with greater strategic autonomy and commercial flexibility.
The reform allowed NLC to move beyond a primarily operational role toward one that integrates logistics planning with national economic priorities. In a regional context where connectivity increasingly defines competitiveness, such institutional clarity has become essential.
International Partnerships and Global Integration
NLC’s recent strategy has been anchored in building partnerships with global logistics players. In 2023, it signed a memorandum of understanding with DP World, one of the world’s largest port and logistics operators. The MoU covers cooperation in ports, dry ports, inland container depots, rail and road connectivity, and potential joint ventures, positioning NLC to benefit from global expertise and operational best practices.
Another key partnership was established with CEVA Logistics, focusing on cross-border freight movement under the International Road Transport (TIR) system. The collaboration aims to streamline transit procedures, enhance cargo security, and reduce delivery times for overland trade, particularly along routes connecting Pakistan with Central Asia, China, and Europe.
NLC also signed an MoU with Uzbekistan Railways, aimed at developing multimodal logistics solutions, rail-based freight movement, and transit infrastructure linking Pakistan with Central Asian markets. Together, these partnerships reflect a concerted effort to integrate Pakistan into regional supply chains rather than rely solely on maritime trade routes.
Reviving and Expanding TIR Trade Corridors
A defining feature of NLC’s evolution since 2023 has been its growing role in operationalising IRU-compliant, TIR-based export corridors. Through active engagement with the International Road Transport Union (IRU), NLC has aligned Pakistan’s overland transport operations with international regulatory standards.
Under this framework, NLC has facilitated and expanded several strategic corridors, including:
Pakistan–Iran–Turkey (Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul corridor), providing direct road connectivity to Europe;
Pakistan–Azerbaijan and onward routes, linking South Asia with the Caucasus and Eurasian markets;
Pakistan–Afghanistan–Central Asia trade corridors, supporting regional trade and transit;
Extended CPEC-linked land routes, connecting China with Central and West Asia through Pakistan.
These corridors have reduced transit times, lowered logistics costs, and offered exporters alternatives to congested maritime routes. A notable milestone was the facilitation of Pakistan’s first truck-borne export consignment to Tajikistan, demonstrating the commercial viability of direct overland trade with Central Asia and reinforcing Pakistan’s role as a regional land bridge.
Diversification into Value-Added Logistics
Beyond conventional freight movement, NLC has increasingly focused on value-added logistics services. The organisation has expanded its cold chain and temperature-controlled logistics capabilities, addressing a long-standing gap in Pakistan’s export infrastructure.
NLC showcased these capabilities at the Food and Agricultural Exhibition, highlighting its ability to support exports of perishable goods to Central Asia and other regional markets. Such services are particularly significant for Pakistan’s agricultural economy, where post-harvest losses and inadequate cold storage have historically undermined export potential.
In parallel, NLC has diversified into containerised shipping services to Gulf countries, signalling a gradual shift toward integrated multimodal logistics solutions that combine road, rail, and sea transport.
Pakistan Mart and Export Facilitation
Among the most strategic initiatives launched during this period is the Pakistan Mart project, developed in collaboration with DP World. Envisioned as a permanent trading and logistics hub in Dubai, the project aims to provide Pakistani exporters with direct access to international markets, including the Middle East, Africa, and South America.
By reducing reliance on intermediaries, Pakistan Mart seeks to improve export margins and enhance the global visibility of Pakistani products. The initiative has been described by Major General Farrukh Shahzad Rao as a landmark export promotion project, reflecting a broader understanding of logistics as an enabler of trade rather than a standalone service.
Strengthening Domestic Supply Chains
While international expansion has gained prominence, NLC has continued to play a stabilising role within Pakistan’s domestic economy. A long-term haulage agreement with Fauji Fertilizer Company has strengthened nationwide fertilizer distribution, contributing to food security and supply-chain reliability—an area of critical importance amid economic volatility.
A Strategic Role Reimagined
Taken together, these developments suggest that NLC is redefining its place within Pakistan’s economic architecture. Through institutional reform, international partnerships, expanded TIR corridors, cold-chain investment, and export facilitation initiatives, the organisation has begun to position itself as a strategic logistics institution rather than a conventional transport operator.
Looking ahead, NLC’s ability to consolidate these gains will determine whether Pakistan can fully leverage its geographic advantage. If sustained, the organisation’s evolving role offers the potential to reduce trade costs, expand exports, and strengthen Pakistan’s position within regional and global supply chains.
