ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance has expressed concern over the backlog of trucks at the Pak-Iran border, citing bureaucratic obstacles as a major trade barrier. The committee urged the government to take immediate steps to resolve the issue.

During a meeting chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, members discussed key financial and trade challenges, including tax reforms, money bills and inefficiencies in customs procedures.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aura­ngzeb responded to the committee’s concerns on the issue of truck congestion at the Iran-Pakistan border, revealing that 600 trucks are currently stuck, causing major delays and unemployment in Balochistan.

Senator Manzoor Kakar said that thousands of people have become unemployed due to these blockages.

The committee also reviewed the challenges of barter trade with Iran, which was introduced in 2023. Customs officials highlighted that while only Iranian-made products were permitted under the barter system, traders were importing luxury goods into Iran and then re-exporting them to Pakistan.

“The SRO governing this trade is too difficult to navigate, and it needs to be made more pragmatic,” said Senator Anusha Rehman, highlighting the urgent need for reform. Trade representatives voiced concerns over customs procedures, with one trader noting, “Forty trucks full of exports used to go to Iran every day. Now, due to bureaucratic hurdles, trade is severely hindered.”

Senator Mandviwalla said the SRO should be simplified and called for clearer procedures to facilitate smoother trade flows.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2025