The government of Balochistan province in southwest Pakistan, as a neighboring province bordering Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran has panned to open more trade routes with Iran to help improve the lives of border residents and ensure continued supply of basic goods.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting presided over by Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo also attended by political, military, security and economic officials.
It was decided in the meeting to open more border crossing points between Pakistan and Iran so that trade between the two countries does not come to a halt as it is the only source of income for the people of Makran.
The common borders of Iran and Pakistan, as two neighboring countries with cultural commonalities, connect the two provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan and the province of Balochistan. There are currently three official Mirjaveh (Taftan), Rimdan (Gabd) and Pishin (Mand) crossings between the two countries, and at the same time the Balochistan government is seeking to open special crossings on the border with Iran to support local trade.
According to local media the meeting held in Turbat gave a final shape to the frame work for trading oil and edibles with Iran, being the only source of income for the local people of border areas. The officials concerned briefed the meeting participants about the traditional and proposed model of border trade.
The meeting decided to abolish the condition of possession of a token for locals to cross into Iran and bring oil back with them. Instead, it was decided the local administration would register a driver and his helper on the basis of their national identity cards and steps would be taken for making the registration process easy.
However, for security purposes, only locals would be extended the trading facilities. “No mafia would be allowed at any cost to benefit from this facility,” official sources told media adding that the institutions concerned would take effective steps for the purpose. Besides Makran, the people of Washuk, Kharan and Awaran would also benefit from the border trade facility.
The second and third official crossings of Iran and Pakistan, in Rimdan (Gabd) and Pishin (Mand) with the presence of the Minister of Roads and Urban Development and the Minister of Defense of Pakistan were officially inaugurated on December last year.
During the Pakistani Foreign Minister's visit to Tehran in April, the Iranian and Pakistani Foreign Ministers signed a memorandum of understanding to establish joint border markets with the aim of strengthening cross-border economic exchanges.
Sistan and Baluchestan, as a neighboring province of Iran with Pakistan, currently has seven active border markets, five of which are on the border with Pakistan and include Mirjaveh in Zahedan, the former in Sarbaz, Kuhak and Jaleq in Saravan, Rimdan in Chabahar. It also has two border markets on the border with Afghanistan (Milk and Gomshad in Zabul). These seven border markets play an important role in trade with neighboring countries.
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