Govt eases barter trade rules to boost Balochistan-Iran commerce

By Mohammad Zafar Baloch

August 13, 2025

Senator Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Commerce presiding over a meeting of the committee at Parliament House Islamabad on August 12, 2025. — Facebook@Pakistansenate

QUETTA: Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce, Senator Anusha Rehman, and Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan Alyani have announced major changes to facilitate trade and industry in Balochistan, particularly in barter trade with Iran.

Speaking at a committee meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, they confirmed immediate amendments to SRO 642/24 to address longstanding concerns of the provincial business community. The changes aim to simplify trade procedures, including the opening of the Badini Business Gate at the earliest opportunity.

Under the federal PSDP, Rs15 billion per year will be allocated until 2027 for road, infrastructure, and related facilities leading to the Badini border, while the provincial PSDP will contribute Rs4 billion annually over the same period.

The meeting, attended by the Federal Secretary for Commerce, committee members including Senator Sheikh Bilal Khan Mandokhail, and Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) representatives - President Haji Muhammad Ayub Marriani and Vice President Engineer Mir Wais Khan Kakhar (via Zoom) - focused on barriers created by SRO 642/24.

The QCCI representatives said the notification hindered barter trade by restricting imports to exporters only, requiring Pakistan Mission attestation, imposing an export-before-import rule, and limiting transaction completion to 90 days. These concerns had previously been raised in a joint session of the Senate commerce and finance committees at QCCI.

Accepting these concerns, Senator Rehman and Minister Alyani directed immediate reforms. The revised rules will now allow broader participation beyond exporters, permit business consortiums in bilateral trade, cover all items under the import and export policy order, remove Pakistan Mission attestation, abolish the export-before-import requirement, and extend the transaction completion period to 120 days. Minister Alyani reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting Balochistan’s business sector, stating: “We will not rest until these issues are resolved. Providing dignified employment opportunities will not only improve livelihoods but also enhance the overall law and order situation in the province.”