QUETTA: Trade activities resumed at the Pakistan-Iran border on Saturday after 14 days amid the coronavirus fears, according to media.
Pakistan had closed its border with Iran at Taftan after more than 120 people were killed and more than 4,500 infected with the novel coronavirus in the neighbouring country.
According to Levies officials, trade activities resumed at the border after 14 days with trailers coming and going into the country.
A day earlier, media had reported the number of people quarantined at Pakistan House in Taftan had overwhelmed the space’s capacity with authorities shifting the pilgrims to another place.
Quoting Customs officials, the TV channel reported that more than 3,000 people were currently kept at two quarantine centres in Taftan.
Pakistan House at Taftan is filled, with over 2,500 people being kept thereafter screening at the border crossing.
Iran earlier had announced a surge in COVID-19 cases with 17 more deaths raising the total number of people killed to 124 as Tehran battles the world’s deadliest outbreak of the disease outside China where it originated.
Pakistani authorities, on the other hand, have stepped up efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
Screening machines have been installed and quarantine centres established at border outposts where pilgrims coming from Iran are kept before being allowed to enter the country.
Islamabad and Tehran have agreed to work together to limit the coronavirus outbreak after nearly 3,000 people, including senior government functionaries, were confirmed to have contracted the virus in Iran.
The agreement over a joint response was reached during a telephonic conversation between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Iranian counterpart, Jawad Zarif.
