On March 27, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Moeed Yusuf said in a statement that federal government had decided to keep its western and eastern borders completely closed for another two weeks to prevent further spread of coronavirus.
Earlier Pakistani media in its reports said that suspension of trade with Iran is badly affecting the economy of Balochistan province which is heavily dependent on border trade with Iran.
According to media reports the participants of a meeting held at the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Covid-19 on Friday were also informed that the supply of food items from Iran to four border districts of Balochistan had also been permitted.
Daily ‘Dawn’ in its report said that the local Baloch who depend on the trade with Iran will soon be out of food even if they manage to escape Covid-19.
The situation is so bad that the local Baloch who depend on the trade with Iran may starve to death even if they manage to escape Covid-19.
Quetta Chamber of Commerce of Industry Senior Vice President Badruddin Kakar said the trade with Iran has “officially and deliberately” been discouraged.
He said he understands the trade on the whole is now suffering amidst Covid-19 and that the cross-border movement of goods via barter trade (owing to sanctions on Iran) has been affected.
He added thousands of local people have become jobless in recent weeks.
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