Pakistan Suspends Iran Trade Through Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan Crossings
Pakistan has suspended trade with Iran through the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan border crossings, shutting two official Iran trade corridors that move thousands of tonnes of fuel and food. The commerce ministry issued the order on Friday, and hundreds of freight vehicles are stranded on both sides.
What the commerce ministry ordered
The Ministry of Commerce issued a memorandum on Friday, October 16, withdrawing its earlier order No. 9(3)2017-Iran dated October 3, with immediate effect. The memorandum, seen by Dawn, gave no reason.
The Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry separately advised businesses trading with Iran to stop placing new orders until further notice. Sources said Pakistani and Iranian authorities had made initial contact after the closure.
Security concerns behind the move
A district official pointed to security as the reason. Chagai Deputy Commissioner Bakhtiar Ismail announced the move in a post on X. He said trade through the Iran border had been temporarily suspended due to security reasons. He called it a temporary measure to improve border management and support counterterrorism efforts. The border would reopen once measures were in place, he said, according to Arab News Pakistan.
The decision comes amid heightened security concerns in Balochistan. Several police constables and a senior provincial official were abducted in separate incidents there this week. Authorities have not said whether the suspension is directly linked to those kidnappings.
Former QCCI president Ayoub Miryani told Arab News that more than 2,000 containers were stranded at the Gabd-Rimdan crossing in Gwadar. He warned of losses worth billions of rupees, and called it a surprise for Balochistan’s traders.
Hajji Liaquat Essazai, an LPG trader in Taftan, said the suspension came without advance notice. “We don’t know why the government of Pakistan has suspended the trade with Iran without any prior notice,” he said.
Passenger traffic continues. Iran’s Wana news agency quoted the Iranian Transit Office’s Syed Hossein Hosseini as saying commercial operations had been halted while passenger movement continued.
Why the Iran trade corridors matter
Gabd-Rimdan had become a major route for Pakistan’s energy needs, with over 4,000 tonnes of LPG reportedly imported daily. Exports of Pakistani products, especially rice, had surged in recent months, generating millions of dollars in foreign exchange.
Trade and energy sources warned the closure could aggravate LPG shortages in Karachi and elsewhere. Taftan was already disrupted by unrest in Balochistan, so the suspension could push up open-market LPG prices. Traders and the chamber warn of exchequer losses, threatened livelihoods and a possible energy crisis.
A stop-start history
The suspension breaks a year of efforts to formalise the border trade. Since March, Islamabad and Tehran had rolled out measures to facilitate border commerce. They eased customs procedures, formalised Taftan as a customs station and notified new transit routes — all against the backdrop of the US-Iran war and Iran’s seven-day Hormuz reopening plan for indirect talks.
In early August, an Iranian delegation led by Trade and Industry Minister Mohammad Atabak visited Islamabad for the 10th Pakistan-Iran Joint Trade Committee session. It met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Both sides agreed to expand trade by keeping crossings open round the clock, improving logistics and harmonising customs.
The visit came months after reports said Gabd-Rimdan trade had halted completely. Pakistan Customs, however, said in June that LPG clearance was continuing normally. Other crossings offer little relief. Gwadar chamber president Jiand Hoot said trade through Panjgur and Mand-Radig was virtually non-existent because of poor roads and recurring arson and vehicle burnings.
The shutdown lands as the two countries rebuild other ties. Iran Air resumed Quetta-Zahedan flights this month, and the US-Iran standoff was discussed at the recent Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission.
Which Pakistan-Iran border crossings are suspended?
The suspension covers the Gabd-Rimdan crossing (border pillar 250, Gwadar district) and the Taftan crossing (Chagai district). Commercial traffic is halted at both; passenger movement continues.
Is the closure permanent?
No duration has been announced. The memorandum took immediate effect, while the Chagai deputy commissioner described the closure as temporary and said the border would reopen once effective measures were in place.
Will LPG prices rise in Pakistan?
Traders and energy sources warn the halt could aggravate LPG shortages, particularly in Karachi, and push up open-market prices: Gabd-Rimdan alone handles over 4,000 tonnes of LPG imports a day. No official price change has been announced.
Why was trade suspended?
The commerce ministry’s memorandum gave no reason. A district official cited security concerns and counterterrorism efforts. Authorities have not confirmed a link to this week’s kidnappings in Balochistan.
No resumption date has been announced. Traders now wait to see whether the initial contact between Pakistani and Iranian officials can restore the round-the-clock arrangement agreed in August.
