JI Chief Calls for Opening Afghan Border, Legalising Iran Trade

1دن پہلے

JI Chief Calls for Opening Afghan Border, Legalising Iran Trade

Zhob, Balochistan: May 24: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Sunday urged the government to reopen border crossings with Afghanistan in consultation with tribal elders and traders, legalise trade with Iran, and complete the long-delayed Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, saying economic restrictions were depriving thousands in Balochistan and KP of their livelihood.
Addressing a public gathering in Zhob under the banner of “Badal Do Nizam” (Change the System), the Jamaat-e-Islami chief also announced a nationwide strike after Eid against unjust hikes in petroleum and electricity prices. He appealed to the people and business community of Balochistan to fully support the protest campaign.
He said committees comprising tribal representatives and traders from both sides of the Afghan border should be formed at Chaman and other crossing points to devise a workable mechanism for reopening trade routes. Special border trade zones should also be established, while tribes should be entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining peace and securing trade corridors, he added.
Criticising the current border policy, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said the border was often opened selectively at night for the benefit of a few influential groups, while ordinary people continued to suffer economic hardship. “This double standard must end,” he said, stressing that petroleum and other trade with Iran should be formally regularised instead of being driven into smuggling networks.
He also expressed concern over recent incidents in Harnai and Loralai where coal trucks were reportedly torched, causing financial losses and casualties. He demanded the Balochistan government compensate the affected traders and ensure security for commercial activity in the province.
The JI chief said the party had already launched its free “Bano Qabil” educational programme in Loralai and would soon expand it to Zhob as well. He said Jamaat-e-Islami wanted to empower Balochistan’s youth through education and democratic struggle against injustice.
Rehman criticised the traditional political elite, saying tribal chiefs and dynastic politicians are perpetuating corruption, underdevelopment and inequality. He said the people of Balochistan should not see themselves as confined to a single province but as equal stakeholders in the entire country.
He further said that development funds allocated for Balochistan were routinely misused, while basic infrastructure, education, healthcare and law enforcement systems remained in a state of collapse. “The ruling elite imposed on the country for decades is responsible for this destruction,” he said, adding that Jamaat-e-Islami would continue its political struggle for systemic change.