QUETTA: The federal government has announced the opening of a new crossing point at the Pakistan-Iran border in Panjgur, in collaboration with Iran, to facilitate legal trade activities between the two countries, discourage smuggling of goods and provide employment and business opportunities to the people living on both sides of the border of the two countries.

The new trade route in the Kohak Cheedgi area will boost business activities in Panjgur area of Balochistan.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has notified the opening of the fourth official border crossing point between Pakistan and Iran at Kohak Cheedgi area of Panjgur.

Route to facilitate legal trade, curb smuggling, provide jobs to residents of Panjgur

A letter, signed by Secretary of Transit and Border Trade Zubair Shah, directed the Collectorate of Customs in Gwadar to take necessary steps in Kohak Cheedgi area of Panjgur border crossing point and coordinate with other stakeholders and departments concerned to ensure required infrastructure development in the area immediately.

A progress report should also be submitted in this regard, the FBR letter said.

The federal government move to open the new border crossing at Pak-Iran border in Kohak Cheedgi to facilitate legal trade activities was welcomed the business community of Balochistan.

The Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Mohammad Ayub Mirani, Senior Vice President Haji Akhtar Kakar and other QCCI leaders have welcomed the new border crossing

They said the establishment of this crossing point had been a long-standing demand of businessmen in Balochistan and efforts had been made at various forums for opening of this border crossing to boost-up trade activities.

With the issuance of the federal government’s notification for the opening of this new trade route, formal trade between the two countries will now commence, providing employment opportunities to local people and boosting up business activities.

Additionally, the new border crossing opening will facilitate businessmen involved in legal import and export business and discourage the smuggling of goods between the two countries.

In December, Pakistan and Iran inaugurated the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing to increase trade and people-to-people exchanges.

The border crossing point between Rimdan in Iran’s southeastern Sistan province and Gabd in Pakistan’s Balochistan province is located about 120km from the Iranian port of Chabahar and 70km from Gwadar port.

On the occasion, the Foreign Office had explained that the purpose of this Gabd-Rimdan and other proposed border crossing points was to enhance ‘people-to-people contacts’ and facilitate travel and trade between the two countries.

“Ope­ning of Gabd-Rimdan crossing point had been under discussion between Pakistan and Iran at various levels,” the FO had stated.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2025