ISLAMABAD: The ongoing crisis at the Pakistan-Iran border has again become the focal point of debate before the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, overshadowing the discussion on the Tax Amendment Bill 2025.

Over 600 trucks, laden with trade goods, remain stuck at the border, a situation exacerbated by customs officials demanding court orders before allowing the goods to pass, an Iranian embassy representative told the committee meeting on Wednesday.

At the outset, the meeting discussed the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2025 introduced by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada. While the bill was deferred, after discussion and input by a representative from the law ministry, the matter was referred to the speaker of the National Assembly for clarification to ascertain its status as a money bill or otherwise.

The committee meeting chaired by Chairman Senator Saleem Mandiwalla reiterated the urgency of resolving the matter of stuck-up trucks, emphasising the severe financial and economic losses faced by traders and the nation.

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The Iranian representative explained that each truck carries goods worth approximately $11,000. The delay costs traders about $100 per day per truck, ultimately raising the goods’ price for consumers.

Furthermore, the drop in the number of trucks crossing the border in the past six months has led to an estimated daily economic loss of $2.2 million, he added.

“We do not ask for guarantees on any Pakistani trucks,” an Iranian Embassy representative said, adding that 400 commercial trucks pass through the Pak-Iran border daily. He suggested that it is necessary to open the Rimdan crossing point to facilitate border trade.

The committee members emphasised the importance of resolving this issue swiftly. The committee decided to write a letter to the prime minister urging him to take the matter in the next cabinet meeting.

Senator Mandiwalla remarked this issue has reached a critical point. It is not only a matter of economic losses but also a matter of national pride. He further said that the situation is deeply concerning for the country as a whole.

It was also highlighted that new regulations, such as the requirement for a certificate of origin, have contributed to the congestion and delays at the border. The committee directed that a letter be sent to the secretary of commerce for further clarification on whether goods not manufactured in the originating country could still qualify for trade under the barter system.

The committee also discussed the lack of an official banking channel between Pakistan and Iran, which complicates financial transactions and further delays the movement of goods. A suggestion was made to include Pakistani importers and clearing agents in the process to help facilitate smoother transactions. Senator Faisal Vawda said that Iranians are now telling ways to increase trade. “We are sleeping,” he remarked, adding how it is possible for drivers sleeping in trucks to produce bank guarantees.

PTI Senator Shibli Faraz said Pakistani bureaucracy is not working for convenience but to create obstacles. FBR should provide facilities to traders, he said.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2025