Iranian envoy calls for opening new border gates

Honardoost says crossing points at Mand-Pishin and Gabd-Rimdan will improve relations between both countries

ISLAMABAD: Iran's Ambassador to Islamabad Mehdi Honardoost on Tuesday called for opening new gates on the border to enhance bilateral trade and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

Talking to APP, the ambassador proposed the crossing points at Mand-Pishin and Gabd-Rimdan, saying that these two points have immense potential to improve relations between two countries.

"Opening the crossing points of Mand-Pishin and Gabd-Rimdan has an immense potential to improve border cooperation between Pakistan and Iran," the Iranian envoy told APP on the sidelines of an event.



At present, the two countries have a single operational crossing point at Taftan on the Pakistan side and Mirjaveh on the Iranian side. He stressed the need for early implementation of the already agreed upon two additional crossing points, terming it a significant step to encourage the bilateral economic activity.

The envoy also called for expediting the launch of the proposed ferry service between Iran's Chabahar port and Karachi, saying the service would greatly facilitate the commuters from both sides as 95% of them crossed through the land route.



“The ferry service will be an economically viable project for millions of Pakistanis, who regularly visit Iran for commercial and religious purposes,” he said. However, he stressed ensuring necessary arrangements on both sides, including electricity and fibre optic cable to facilitate the travellers.

On 12 Iranian border security guards who were abducted from Lulakdan area of Pak-Iran border in October, Honardoost said there was no update on the remaining seven guards after five of them were recovered by Pakistani security forces in November.

He said the Director General Military Operations from the two sides were coordinating actions in this regard. However there was no clue of the missing five to date.