Pakistan has stopped trade with Iran through the Taftan and Gabd-Rimdan border crossings in Balochistan, with officials citing security concerns and the need to curb smuggling. The Ministry of Commerce issued a memorandum on Friday, October 16, 2026, withdrawing with immediate effect its October 3 order that had allowed trade through both crossings. The suspension became public on Saturday, October 18.
Shahid Rind, adviser to the Balochistan chief minister on media and political affairs, called the closure temporary. In a post on X, he said it is meant to deal with security concerns, stop smuggling and make the border system work better. He said senior officials from both countries are making progress on administrative issues, and the border is likely to reopen soon. No date has been given.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, also called it temporary, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. He blamed “technical issues” and precautionary measures, the Indian news agency ANI reported.
About 2,000 trucks are stuck on both sides
The Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) says around 2,000 trucks carrying goods between the two countries are stranded, Pakistan Today reported. ProPakistani reports the cargo includes LPG, rice, fresh fruit and other essential items.
QCCI has told its members to stop placing new import and export orders with Iran until further notice. The commerce ministry has separately told traders to stop making new bookings for goods from Iran, Pakistan Today reported. QCCI also said commercial activity has stopped at all crossings on the border, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI). Pakistan and Iran share four official crossings: Taftan-Mirjaveh, Gabd-Rimdan, Mand and Chadgi.
People can still cross at Gabd-Rimdan. Iran’s Wana news agency reports that passenger traffic is running there while commercial traffic has stopped.
LPG is the biggest worry
Dawn reported that more than 4,000 tonnes of LPG come into Pakistan through Gabd-Rimdan every day. Trade and energy sources warn the halt could worsen LPG shortages in Karachi and other cities and push up open-market prices. The Taftan route was already facing disruption because of unrest in Balochistan. These are warnings from industry sources, not confirmed shortages.
Rice exporters are also exposed. ProPakistani reports that Pakistani rice exports through this route have grown in recent months. Traders warn of losses for the national treasury and for people whose income depends on cross-border trade.
The halt comes after months of efforts to ease trade
Since March, Islamabad and Tehran had taken steps to ease border trade, according to Dawn. These included simpler customs rules, making Taftan a formal customs station and notifying new transit routes. All this happened during the ongoing US-Iran war, which has strained economies in the region.
In August, an Iranian delegation led by Trade and Industry Minister Mohammad Atabak visited Islamabad for the 10th session of the Pak-Iran Joint Trade Committee. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the delegation agreed to raise trade to $10 billion and keep border crossings open round the clock, ProPakistani reported.
This is not the first scare on this route. In June, reports said trade through Gabd-Rimdan had come to a halt, though Pakistan Customs rejected claims that LPG imports were disrupted. This time, the commerce ministry’s own order allowing trade lasted less than two weeks before it was withdrawn. Neither government has announced a reopening date.
