TAFTAN: The officials of Pakistan and Iran discussed border-related issues during a meeting of the Permanent Border Committee held in the Iranian border town of Mirjaveh, adjacent to Taftan in Chagai district.

According to official sources, Chagai Deputy Commissioner Agha Sher Zaman, who led the eight-member Pakistani delegation, raised the issue of prolonged closure of tax-free trade gate Zero Point and Rahdari (travellers) gate, causing hardships for the locals. He also urged the Iranian authorities to use legal means and ways for handing over illegal Pakistani migrants.

Formation of a joint team for making feasibility of a joint border market at Taftan also came under discussion during the meeting. The Pakistani officials also called for opening another entry point for the locals at Talab.

The Iranian delegation, led by Abu Al-Afzal, assured the Pakistani officials that all their demands would be conveyed to the higher authorities and that legal means would be used to deport illegal migrants.

The Iranian officials complained about slow clearance of Iranian goods trucks due to non-availability of required weighing machines at the NLC terminal in Taftan. They urged the Pakistani delegation to allow clearance of cargos dumped at the Bazarcha point, which was recently closed by the NLC officials in Taftan. They also raised the issue of high charges demanded from Iranian truck drivers.

The Pakistani officials assured the Iranian delegation that they would take up these matters with the higher authorities.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2021