QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and Governor of Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province Mansour Bijar agreed on Tuesday to strengthen bilateral trade, border cooperation, investment and regional stability during a high-level meeting in Islamabad.

The two sides held detailed discussions on Pakistan-Iran relations, bilateral trade, border management, investment, border markets, regional peace, security cooperation and economic connectivity.

Governor Bijar said the primary objective of his visit was to expand economic and trade relations between the two neighbouring countries. He noted that bilateral trade currently stood at approximately $3bn and said it could be increased to $10bn through joint efforts.

He said that stronger border trade would not only stimulate economic activity but it would help address shared security challenges.

Bugti reaffirmed the Balochistan government’s commitment to promoting border barter trade and supporting efforts to raise bilateral trade to a $10 billion target. He agreed that expanding economic opportunities would contribute significantly to peace, stability and an improved security environment in the region.

The chief minister said the three existing border markets along the Pakistan-Iran border would be made more active and efficient, while plans were also underway to establish additional border markets to create employment opportunities and facilitate trade for border communities.

He also described the proposed Chagai-Sukkur railway track upgrade as a strategically important project that would improve cargo transportation and further enhance bilateral trade.

The Balochistan chief minister announced that the provincial government was establishing a dedicated security division to protect and monitor the Western Corridor, saying the initiative would help secure the mineral corridor while facilitating trade with Iran and strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

Emphasising that lasting peace is the foundation of sustainable development, Bugti called for coordinated action by both countries to eliminate non-state actors operating from their respective territories, enabling people living on both sides of the border to benefit from peace, stability and economic progress.

He also informed the Iranian delegation that the Balochistan government was developing modern slaughterhouses and cold storage facilities to promote livestock trade and welcomed Iranian investment in the sector.

To institutionalise cooperation, Bugti proposed the establishment of joint working groups between their governments to ensure regular progress on trade, investment, border cooperation, infrastructure development, agriculture, and livestock and people-to-people exchanges.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2026