ISLAMABAD: The opening of Pakistan-Iran ‘Pishin border market’ is expected in the coming month, which is aimed at increasing free trade between Pakistan and Iran.
According to officials the Pishin border market had been completed and its inauguration was on the cards, while work on other three markets including Gabd, Rimdan, and Kohak would start soon.
It was informed during a meeting between federal minister for commerce Syed Naveed Qamar and the Iranian Parliamentary delegation, led by Malek Fazeli, including members Majid Naseri Nejad and Dr. Mohsen Fathi held here on Thursday that there will be trade through these border markets under the barter system.
The meeting was informed that a total of 12 border markets have been proposed by both sides to increase the volume of trade between the two countries, out of which 9 have been mutually approved.
There was a dire need to increase the trade volume in petroleum and gas, which would help increase trade volume.
“We are importing Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) from Iran and its import also needs to be increased. There is also a need to increase its production in Pakistan”, said the federal minister. He added that “We import electricity from Iran for Gwadar and this also needs to be increased”.
The delegation proposed to increase mutual cooperation and trade in the pharmaceutical sector, adding to it the minister said that Pakistan was also doing imports in the pharmaceutical sector and exports were also going on. He also suggested that people from the pharmaceutical sector should be included in the next trade delegation.
During the meeting head of the Iranian parliamentary delegation, Malek Fazeli said that Pakistan and Iran are neighboring countries with a common border of 920 km from which mutual trade is also carried out and the movement of people continues throughout the year.
He expressed that there should be an increase in the volume of trade between the two countries adding that Iran cooperated with Pakistan to overcome the shortage of onions and tomatoes.
He further added that as a member of the Iranian parliament, he considers cooperation between Pakistan and Iran in the field of energy is essential. Similarly, work on the Iran Pakistan gas pipeline should also be completed in the near future.
