Monday, March 05, 2007

Food shortage hits Balochistan towns after Iran border closures

QUETTA: Food shortage in several Balochistan towns along the Pak-Iran border has worsened after the Iranian government sealed its border with Gwadar district on Saturday as part of its efforts to curb “smuggling from Pakistan into its territory”, Daily Times has learnt.

Most areas of Balochistan near the Pak-Iran border depend largely on food and other commodities illegally imported from Iran.

The Iranian decision to close its border along Gwadar comes weeks after a bomb blast in Zahidan, the capital of Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan province. Tehran says the decision is aimed at improving security in Iranian areas bordering Balochistan.

Some days ago, Iran also closed its border along Pakistani areas of Taftan, Noshaki, Panjgur, Turbat and Mekran to curb smuggling.

However, sources at the Iranian Consulate General in Quetta said that reports about border closures were “baseless”. “All legal crossings at the Iran-Pakistan border are open and Iran has not stopped anybody crossing the border legally for trade and commerce,” the sources said. malik siraj akbar
Courtesy DailyTimes.com.pk

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