QUETTA: The Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) has expressed concerns that closure of the Chaman border is harming Balochistan’s economy and urged the federal and provincial governments to resume trade activities through that border.

QCCI President Ghulam Farooq Khilji and Senior Vice President Badruddin Kakar demanded of the government to take immediate steps to open the Chaman border and activate the Badini border as well.

“The closure of the Chaman border has not only called into question the future of exp­orts and imports, but has also put the deci­sion on Afghan transit trade from Gwadar port at risk,” Mr Khilji said on Tuesday. “The closure of Chaman border for several months has put a question mark on the economic future of the people involved in industry, trade and import and export and even the service-based industry has reached the brink of disaster,” he added.

The Quetta Chamber of Commerce lamented that due to the closure of the border, 25 per cent of the Afghan transit trade had been shifted to Iran. “If the border is not opened immediately, trade acti­vities on the Chaman border will be further shifted to Iran and Torkham border,” the QCCI warned. Last month, the federal ministry for interior had announced closure of Pakistan’s border with Iran and Afghanistan due to Covid-19. The QCCI members said people involved in the business of exporting potatoes, mangoes and other fruits and vegetables had been facing severe financial woes due to the closure of the border.

“The decision to allow Afghan transit trade from Gwadar port has also become meaningless due to the closure. If Afghan transit trade from Gwadar is to be enhanced, the government should open the Chaman border and restore the Badini border immediately,” the QCCI said.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2020