Pakistan-Iran border trade resumes with paperwork friction

Trade between Pakistan and Iran has restarted in a limited capacity, but the process is being slowed by a dispute over import documentation that has left Iranian cargo stuck at the border. The movement began on Monday after Islamabad suspended all cargo traffic through the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan crossings on October 17. The pause was implemented due to security risks in Balochistan province, a region that has long faced separatist unrest.

Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati, president of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, confirmed that trade partially resumed over the weekend. Border officials released consignments dated October 16 or earlier, according to truck association leaders. Haji Noor Muhammad Shahwani, central president of the Balochistan Goods Truck Owners Association, stated that Pakistani exports of rice and bananas are now crossing the border. He also noted that Iranian trucks carrying liquefied petroleum gas, which were loaded before the closure, are slowly entering Pakistan.

The temporary halt in gas imports caused sharp price spikes and shortages in Pakistan, a country that relies on Middle Eastern energy imports. This economic strain occurred while the national economy already faced disruptions from the Strait of Hormuz. Rizwan Ahmed, a customs clearing agent near the Gabd-Rimdan crossing, reported that customs instructed agents to file declarations for stranded trucks. He described the instruction as allowing agents to bring in as much cargo as possible, though he did not clarify if this applied to goods loaded after the October 16 cutoff.

Iranian officials argue that the bottleneck is administrative rather than physical. Reza Amiri Moghadam, the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan, posted on X on Sunday that Tehran had not restricted exports. He blamed changes in the implementation of Pakistan’s E-Form procedure, stating that these changes make it impossible for traders to dispatch cargo. The E-Form, or EIF, is a mandatory document that records imports and their payment through banks. A memorandum from Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry on October 16 withdrew a previous waiver for this form, a move that took effect immediately.

Security concerns remain a central factor in the border management strategy. Gunmen attacked trucks near the Gabd crossing on Thursday, resulting in the death of 10 attackers and one civilian during military operations. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies reported that Balochistan accounted for 131 of the 225 armed attacks recorded in September, the highest monthly total in 12 years. Sajjad Haider Khan, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, stated on Friday that Pakistan continues to adhere to applicable sanctions regimes. He declined to confirm whether the United States had pressured the closure, noting he lacked direct knowledge of the ground situation.

The border dispute unfolds against a backdrop of intense diplomatic and economic pressure. Pakistan has mediated between Washington and Tehran since the conflict began on February 28. The United States has maintained a naval blockade on Iranian ports and imposed sanctions designed to cut off revenue streams. Security analyst Imtiaz Baloch suggested that US policy influences the situation indirectly through banking channels and LPG companies, even without a formal statement linking the closure to Washington's economic strategy.