Qasim Khan Suri said in an exclusive interview with IRNA on Saturday that the new Rimdan-Gabd border gateway would pave the way for strengthening bilateral trade, especially the legalization of commercial activities.
The 51-year-old Pakistani politician, who belongs to Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, bordering Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province, said that residents of the two border provinces would benefit most from inauguration of the second official cross-border gateway between Iran and Pakistan.
He added: "Increasing the border crossings between the two neighboring countries, in addition to strengthening and managing joint trade, will also help a lot in combating the menaces of smuggling."
Qasim Khan Suri, the advocate of enhanced trade with Iran in the parliament, especially the issue of development of border relations, added: "The current government of Pakistan is determined to strengthen border cooperation with Iran by facilitating trade and development of border markets."
He said: "The long border of Iran and Pakistan show the deep and close friendship between the two neighboring countries and have forcing both of them to take steps to strengthen interactions, especially to increase public relations."
**Increase in Iran-Pakistan border crossings welcomed
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman and the former Pakistani ambassador to Iran welcoming the opening of the second official cross-border gateway between the two countries said that the development would serve to enhance level of trade between the two countries, including strengthening people to people contacts.
Spokesperson for Pakistan's foreign ministry Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri while responding to a question of IRNA at his weekly media briefing said official opening of new Rimdan-Gabd border gateway between Iran and Pakistan is a major step to further enhance people to people contacts.
Former ambassador of Pakistan to Iran Asif Ali Khan Durrani in a tweet on Saturday said opening of Gabd-Rimdan border post is a happy news for the people of the area especially for bilateral trade. “Hopefully other border posts would open soon,” he said.
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