Islamabad, Pakistan – The imposition of new and higher customs tariffs on commercial trucks by Pakistani authorities has caused a significant backlog of heavy vehicles at the Iran-Pakistan border. This is particularly evident at the Pishin (formerly known as the Pishin) crossing in Rask district of Sistan and Baluchestan province. Media reports indicate that Pakistani authorities are preventing trucks that have not complied with the new tariffs, estimated at approximately 2.3 billion tomans per vehicle, from entering the country. This move comes amidst a lack of official comment from Iranian authorities and the inability of independent observers to accurately verify the reported figures. This situation threatens to exacerbate the overland transport crisis between the two countries.
The border crossing known as “Mand” on the Pakistani side is a vital trade artery. Its strategic importance has recently increased due to restrictions on Iranian maritime routes and the blockade of shipping. Thus, the land crossing has become a primary conduit for exports and imports, including foodstuffs, building materials, and petrochemicals. Before the current congestion, the crossing’s capacity had reached approximately 130 trucks per day. However, exorbitant fees, severe overcrowding, a lack of services, and drivers facing waits of days and weeks threaten to disrupt trade. Furthermore, this places an increased financial burden on the land transport sector between the two countries.
