Quetta Businessmen Voice Trade Concerns to Senate Committee

Representatives from the Quetta Chamber of Commerce presented a comprehensive overview of the significant challenges encountered by local business operators engaged in trade across the Pakistan-Iran and Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance.

The business community emphasized a considerable disparity in bilateral trade, noting that Pakistan’s exports to Iran are limited to only 10 items, while it imports hundreds, according to reports.

According to details, Muhammad Ayub Mariani, President of the Quetta Chamber, along with Senior Vice President Haji Akhtar Kakar, Vice President Engineer Mir Wais Khan, among others, reported that they had communicated the impediments to trade with Iran and Afghanistan to relevant authorities and engaged in discussions with officials from both nations.

Participants learned that the requirement for an Electronic Import Form (EIF) had effectively halted bilateral trade, resulting in Pakistani cargo trucks being detained in Iran for extended periods, ranging from 15 to 20 days.

Concerns were also raised regarding the increase in attestation and visa expenses.

Discussions also involved the Joint Economic Forum and the Joint Border Trade Committee with Iran. There was regret that neither country had acted upon the suggestions made by the Economic Forum and Joint Border Committee.

To ensure practical outcomes, the business representatives urged the inclusion of officials from the federal ministries of Commerce and Finance, as well as representatives from the Prime Minister’s office, in the consolidation of the Economic Forum and Joint Border Trade Committee.

They voiced concerns and made proposals regarding the intermittent opening and closing of the Badini border, the reactivation of the Qamaruddin Karez border, the inactivity of border markets, and other pertinent matters.

The business community asserted that addressing cold storage and LPG terminal issues, among others, at the Chaman and Taftan borders could lead to a substantial increase in trade volume with neighboring countries.

Committee Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla stated that for the preceding six months, the committee had received reports in Islamabad concerning bilateral trade challenges between Pakistan and Iran, as well as Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He assured that some problems would be resolved immediately, while others would be communicated to higher authorities.

Mandviwalla noted that the Iranian Consul General had provided a summary of concerns, and the business community of Balochistan also shared their difficulties. These issues would be presented to the Iranian president and the high-ranking delegation accompanying him.

The President of Iran, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, is scheduled to visit Pakistan on August 2 for a two-day visit.