Pakistan Allows Cargo Trucks to Cross Into Iran After Nine-Day Halt

Freight trucks began crossing from Pakistan into Iran on Monday, ending a nine-day suspension of cargo traffic at the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan border crossings. The move follows a security halt that began on October 17. Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati, president of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, confirmed that trade partially resumed over the weekend. Border officials cleared consignments dated October 16 or earlier, according to goods truck association officials.

Haji Noor Muhammad Shahwani, central president of the Balochistan Goods Truck Owners Association, reported from Quetta that Pakistani exports, including rice and bananas, are now moving across the border. Trucks loaded in Iran before the closure, particularly those carrying liquefied petroleum gas, are also entering Pakistan. Shahwani noted that these vehicles are clearing slowly. Rizwan Ahmed, a customs clearing agent near the Gabd-Rimdan crossing, stated that customs authorities instructed agents to file declarations for stranded trucks so they could be released. Ahmed said his own export consignment, which included rice, retail goods, potatoes, and bananas, had just departed.

Despite the partial reopening, Iranian officials say the flow of goods remains constrained by administrative changes. Reza Amiri Moghadam, the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan, posted on X on Sunday that Iran has placed no restrictions on exports to Pakistan. He argued that changes in how Pakistan implements its E-Form procedure for imports have made it difficult for traders to dispatch cargo. A memorandum from Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry, dated October 16, withdrew a previous waiver that had extended the E-Form process. This change took effect immediately. The E-Form is used to record imports and ensure payment through banks.

The border closure occurred against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions. Pakistan suspended cargo traffic on October 17 citing security risks in Balochistan province. On Thursday, gunmen attacked trucks waiting near the Gabd crossing. The military reported that 10 attackers were killed in operations around Gabd and Gwadar city, along with one civilian. Balochistan accounted for 131 of the 225 armed attacks recorded in Pakistan during September. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies noted that this was the highest monthly national total in 12 years.

Speculation has circulated that the Pakistani step was taken under pressure from the United States. Washington has sought to economically isolate Iran since the start of the US-Israel war on February 28. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was asked about the border during its weekly news briefing on Friday. Spokesman Sajjad Haider Khan stated that Pakistan adheres to all applicable sanctions regimes. He said he did not have direct knowledge of the ground situation and did not confirm whether the US had pressured Pakistan regarding the closure.

Bakhtiar Ismail, the deputy commissioner of Chagai, described the closure as a temporary measure to improve border management and support counterterrorism efforts on October 18. Esmaeil Baghaei, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, cited technical issues via the IRNA news agency. Imtiaz Baloch, a security analyst, assessed that security concerns, technical glitches, and banking systems all play a role in the current trade disruption.

Iran’s ambassador said consultations with Pakistan are currently under way. He noted that several hundred LPG trucks have crossed into Gabd but remain unloaded and uncleared. Shahwani said the unloading problem has not yet been resolved, suggesting the issue may involve international banking channels. The Ministry of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment on the status of the border crossings.