Pakistan-Iran trade halt at Gabd-Rimdan threatens LPG supplies, perishable exports

Cross-border trade between Pakistan and Iran through the Gabd-Rimdan crossing has stopped, leaving hundreds of LPG vehicles stranded and placing shipments of rice, mangoes and other perishable goods at risk, according to the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

GCCI President Jiand Hoot said hundreds of bowsers and trucks carrying LPG had remained at the border terminal for customs clearance during the past 10 to 15 days.

He said the disruption had affected supplies to major cities, with LPG prices rising in Karachi and parts of Punjab. The fuel was reportedly unavailable in some areas even at Rs400 per kilogram.

The chamber warned that a prolonged closure could lead to further shortages as Pakistan’s overland energy supply routes were already facing disruptions.

According to Hoot, the Chaman border remains closed, while traders operating through the Taftan-Zahedan crossing are on strike because of security conditions.

Trade through the Panjgur and Mand-Radig crossings has also remained limited because of poor road infrastructure and repeated incidents involving arson and the burning of vehicles, he said.

With alternative routes disrupted, Pakistan’s land-based LPG supply has become increasingly dependent on the Gabd-Rimdan crossing, according to the chamber.

The disruption has occurred as shipping constraints in the Strait of Hormuz place additional pressure on Pakistan’s energy supply chain.

Hoot said continued delays at Gabd-Rimdan could remove LPG supplies from local markets and increase prices further.

The trade suspension has also affected Pakistani exports, with hundreds of tonnes of rice, mangoes and other perishable goods awaiting clearance and facing the risk of spoilage.

The GCCI president alleged that Iranian commercial vehicles were being refused entry and returned from the National Logistics Corporation yard, disrupting both imports and exports.

The chamber attributed the breakdown in trade to delays in customs procedures and called on the federal government, senior Pakistan Customs officials and other relevant authorities to intervene.

GCCI urged the government to remove procedural obstacles and restore the movement of commercial vehicles through the crossing, citing its role in Pakistan-Iran trade and the country’s energy supply chain.