Pakistan has temporarily suspended trade at two border crossings with Iran in its Balochistan province to address security concerns and curb smuggling, a provincial official has said.
Shahid Rind, adviser to the Balochistan chief minister on media affairs, said on Saturday the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan crossings had been closed for trade under a notification issued on Friday by the Ministry of Commerce. He described the move as “necessary to improve the security situation and administrative affairs on both sides of the border”. The suspension is aimed at improving the effectiveness of the crossings and addressing security concerns, Rind said.
Talks are underway between officials of the two countries to resolve the security and administrative issues, and the crossings are expected to reopen for trade soon, he added.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei also described the closure as temporary, state-run IRNA news agency reported. However, Baghaei attributed the suspension to technical issues, saying the two countries were holding consultations to resolve the problem and restore normal operations.
The 909-kilometre border between Pakistan’s Balochistan province and Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province has four official crossings at Taftan-Mirjaveh, Gabd-Rimdan, Mand and Chadgi.
The Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) has said that trade and commercial activities stand suspended across all border crossings between Pakistan and Iran. Following the suspension order, the QCCI advised businesses involved in trade with Iran to stop placing fresh import and export orders until further notice.