QUETTA/LANDI KOTAL: With the row between Islamabad and Kabul over the construction of a gate at the Torkham border crossing still unresolved, Pakistani authorities on Friday started building a gate at the country’s border with Iran at Taftan to curb illegal trade.
Frontier Corps Sector Commander Brigadier Khalid Beg and Balochistan Collector Customs Saeed Ahmed Jadoon laid the foundation stone of the ‘Pakistan Gate’ at Taftan in Chagai district.
The construction of the gate will complete in two months at a cost of Rs15 million. It will be inaugurated on Independence Day (Aug 14).
Iran has already constructed a trade gate inside its border at Mir Java in Zahedan, capital of Sistan and Baluchestan province, and has been demanding that Pakistan build a similar gate on its side of the border. Iran has also erected 10-foot-high walls at various places along with its border with Pakistan.
Speaking at the Taftan ceremony, Brig Beg said the purpose of building the gate was to make border management more effective. He said it would be a trade gate and would facilitate thousands of traders and tourists crossing into Pakistan.
Mr Jadoon said the gate was being jointly constructed by the Balochistan customs and the Frontier Corps and it would be a symbol of the country on the border. He said that although the gate was needed by Pakistan to improve border management, it was also requested by the Iranians. It would help curb illegal trade on both sides of the border.
The government is also constructing a ‘Pakistan House’ at Taftan to provide facilities to people going to Iran and Iraq for pilgrimage.
“The construction of Pakistan House is in progress and will be completed soon,” said Chagai Commissioner Qadir Bakhsh Pirkani.
A large number of tribal elders, senior civil and military officials and other people attended the foundation stone-laying ceremony. http://www.dawn.com/news/1265654/pakistan-gate-being-built-at-iran-border
Comments are closed.