Pakistan Halts Commercial Traffic at Key Border Crossings With Iran
Due to certain technical issues and the need to take precautionary measures, border crossings and exchanges have been temporarily suspended,
said Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, as reported by state-run IRNA. Pakistan has suspended commercial operations at the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan border crossings, citing security and smuggling concerns, Firstpost reported. The sudden closure has disrupted bilateral trade, leaving hundreds of freight vehicles carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), rice, and fresh fruit stranded on both sides of the 909-kilometer border. The Ministry of Commerce issued a memorandum on Friday withdrawing an earlier order from October 3, which had extended the Electronic Import Form waiver for Iranian imports, according to The Express Tribune.
Chamber of Commerce Advises Immediate Trade Freeze
Following the government directive, the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) urged local businesses to halt all new import and export orders with Iran until further notice. The chamber warned that proceeding without regulatory clarity risks severe customs clearance delays and financial distress.
Simultaneously, the Federal Investigation Agency immigration gate at Taftan closed on instructions from senior officials in Islamabad, according to local sources cited by The Express Tribune. While commercial traffic remains blocked, passenger movement through the Rimdan-Gabd crossing has continued, according to Iran’s WANA news agency.
Energy Supplies and LPG Markets Face Immediate Pressure
The disruption threatens Pakistan’s energy security, particularly regarding liquefied petroleum gas imports. More than 4,000 tonnes of LPG enter Pakistan daily through the Gabd-Rimdan route, according to Dawn.
Traders warn that shutting this corridor alongside existing unrest along the Taftan route could squeeze open-market supplies and drive up prices. The Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry noted that alternate regional routes like Panjgur and Mand-Radig handle almost no commercial traffic due to poor road infrastructure and past security incidents.
Banking Sanctions Complicate Resumption Efforts
While officials from both nations describe the suspension as temporary and are holding talks to restore normal operations, broader financial hurdles complicate cross-border commerce. Peyman Sanandaji, head of the Transportation Commission at the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, told Mehr News Agency that banking sanctions restrict Pakistan’s electronic import form system for Iranian goods, halting Iranian exports while Pakistani imports continue, Anadolu Ajansı reported.
Delegations from Pakistan and Iran are coordinating administrative and security measures to establish a more effective border system, though no official timeline for reopening has been announced.
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