Partial trade resumes at Pakistan-Iran border after 10-day halt

Freight trucks began moving again across the Pakistan-Iran border on Monday, ending a nine-day suspension that disrupted the flow of goods and energy between the two neighbors. The resumption is only partial, with officials confirming that cargo loaded before the October 17 shutdown is now clearing the crossings in Balochistan province.

Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati, president of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that trade partially resumed over the weekend. Haji Noor Muhammad Shahwani, central president of the Balochistan Goods Truck Owners Association, confirmed that Pakistani exports such as rice and bananas are crossing into Iran. He also noted that trucks loaded in Iran before the closure, including those carrying liquefied petroleum gas, are entering Pakistan slowly.

The initial halt in cargo traffic, announced by Islamabad on October 17, cited security risks. This disruption contributed to severe shortages and price spikes for LPG in Pakistan, a country that imports the bulk of its energy from the Middle East. The economic strain is compounded by shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz resulting from the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.

Rizwan Ahmed, a customs clearing agent near the Gabd-Rimdan crossing, said customs authorities instructed agents to file declarations for stranded trucks. "Customs has given us the go-ahead, saying, 'Bring in as much cargo as you can,'" Ahmed reported. His own consignment of rice, retail goods, potatoes, and bananas had just departed when he spoke.

However, Iranian officials argue that new import procedures are holding up their cargo. Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, said on Sunday that changes in the implementation of Pakistan’s E-Form procedure have made it difficult for traders to dispatch goods. The E-Form is used to record imports and payments through banks. Moghadam stated that consultations are underway, though several hundred LPG trucks have crossed into the Gabd area and remain unloaded.

A memorandum from Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry dated October 16 withdrew an earlier waiver on the E-Form for imports from Iran. The change took effect immediately. Shahwani suggested the delay might involve banking issues related to international trade, noting that the unloading problem at the crossings had not yet been resolved.

The timing of the closure has led to speculation regarding U.S. influence, particularly as Washington imposes sanctions to pressure Iran economically. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Sajjad Haider Khan said on Friday that the country adheres to applicable sanctions regimes. He did not confirm whether the border is fully open or if U.S. pressure played a role in the initial decision.

Security concerns remain central to the situation in Balochistan. Gunmen attacked trucks near the Gabd crossing on Thursday, and the military reported killing 10 attackers in operations around Gabd and Gwadar city. Balochistan accounted for 131 of the 225 armed attacks recorded nationwide in September, the highest monthly total in 12 years according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.