The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in its ‘Regional Iran Escalation Mobility Monitoring’ report, says a notable increase in crossings from Iran to Pakistan has emerged by mid-March.
These crossings were driven by a further increase in Pakistani returnees, as well as inflows from Iranian traders, businesspeople, and others. IOM says Pakistani authorities note that all Iranian inflows hold either valid Pakistani visas and passports or local passes allowing for free movement.
No movements into Pakistan have emerged that could be viewed as refugee inflows, IOM monitoring report emphasised. Eighty per cent of total flows into Pakistan from Iran enter from Taftan Mirjaveh.
Between March 1 and 16, a total of 6,726 individuals crossed from the Islamic Republic of Iran into Pakistan through the Taftan-Mirjaveh (5,348) and Gabd-Kumb-Rimdan (1,378) land border crossings. Most of those entering Pakistan from the Islamic Republic of Iran are Pakistani returnees, or those holding valid passports/visas and/or trader licenses allowing them to cross into Pakistan, it said.
