In the meeting, Shafei criticized the current condition regarding the passage of trucks from the Iran-Pakistan borders and called for resolving this problem which affects the trade between the two states. He said that Pakistan has a different position for Iranian people among Iran’s 15 neighboring states and said there are commonalities and special closeness between the nations of Iran and Pakistan, adding that the two countries enjoy having broad political relations but their economic relation has not been ever in the level of their political relation.

He expressed hope for finding a proper answer for the low trade and investment between the two countries, and emphasized that undoubtedly there is a problem between the two countries whose unofficial trade is more than their official trade.

Shafei went on to say that undoubtedly there are unique capacities for developing and strengthening the joint cooperation between the two states but so far both countries have failed to materialize the free trade agreement.

He then pointed to the serious defects in the infrastructures of the border customs and called for resolving them for improving the bilateral trade. He referred to transportation as the main problem both rail and road transportation. He added that for some time the traffic of trucks from both sides have seen confusion and it should be removed.

Shafei also called reconsideration about the custom tariffs at the border crossings and said the tariffs should be based on the economic realities of the two states. He noted some Iranian goods can be barter traded with Pakistani products although tariffs is very effective on this issue. He went on to say that Iran can give LPG to Pakistan and in return it imports rice or it gives apple and imports tangerine in return.

He also announced readiness of the ICCIMA for hosting its Pakistani counterpart and the chamber is planning to dispatch a trade delegation to Pakistan because such meeting can resolve major parts of the problems.

Then Tariq Huda, for his part, said despite good political relations and close cultural relation between the nations of Iran and Pakistan, the new generation of Pakistan does not know Persian and this tradition of educating Persian language has been stopped and it should be revived.

He expressed hope soon the free trade agreement between the two states would come into effect, adding that the trend of talks should become short due to the current condition in the world. He said that according to agreements, talks are underway for launching direct flights between some cities of the two countries and a special committee is to be formed to pursue the rail issue.

He termed uncomfortable the delay and stoppage of the trucks behind the borders of the two countries and vowed that after his return to Islamabad this issue would be resolved by Friday.

He said that despite the sisterhood of Chabahar and Gwadar Ports nothing serious has happened and the passages should be opened and let the trend of the agreements progress.

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Pakistani Minister for Defense Production Zobaida Jalal and Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami traveled from their capitals to the border to open the Pishin-Mand crossing on Wednesday.

This is the second border crossing being opened between Iran and Pakistan since they threw open the Rimdan-Gabd gateway in December.

The new opening comes as Pakistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi is visiting Tehran.

“The opening of the Pishin-Mand crossing is a great and historic achievement for the two countries, which shows the commitment of the government of Imran Khan to strengthen relations with Iran,” IRNA news agency quoted Jalal as saying at the opening.

It will serve the common interests of Iran and Pakistan, she said, pledging to use the capacity of the Pakistan ministry of defense to expand comprehensive cooperation on border management and boosting economic and defense relations.

Jalal said Tehran and Islamabad are on the path of deepening long-standing relations, and the increase in their border crossings manifests their determination and commitment to strengthen relations and improve the lives of their border residents.

“One of the goals of Pakistan’s foreign policy and the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision is to develop relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. We see the opening of the third official border with our neighbor as part of achieving this goal,” IRNA quoted her as saying.

The general Baluchistan area is an extensive plateau of rough terrain situated between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, rife with a number of militant groups which often engage in armed banditry, drug trafficking and other subversive acts.

“Increasing the number of border crossings, while facilitating the achievement of common interests between Iran and Pakistan, will provide new job opportunities for border residents,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Zahid Hafiz Chaudhry told media in Islamabad.

Minister Eslami said the gateways will transform cross-border exchanges and trade with Pakistan. “The addition of two official terminals for trade exchanges as well as six official border markets will help us move towards a good business,” he said.

Iran and Pakistan share 959 kilometers of border, which depended on the Mirjaveh-Taftan crossing for travel and trade exchange until last December.

The inauguration of the Rimdan-Gabd crossing point, about 130 km from the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar, has created a new momentum in exchange of goods between the two neighbors.

Pakistani citizens can now reach Chabahar, from where they can travel by plane or train to other cities across Iran, including the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad.

The crossing is also only 70 km from the Pakistani port of Gwadar which is being developed through the $60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor to link with Xinjiang province.

Pishin is the southernmost gateway in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province to Pakistan, marked by its proximity to many Pakistani towns and cities. It is only 20 km from Mand, 60 km from Temp, 120 km from Turbat and 600 km from Pakistan’s largest city and port of Karachi which will be reduced to 400 km with the construction of a new road.

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