With cross-border trade with Iran shut, thousands in Pakistan left jobless

New Delhi, Dec 20: The closure of the market at Taftan for the past one year has left thousands jobless in Pakistan,

The manual workers are unable to get any work for themselves, Pakistani vernacular media Intekhab Daily reported. Even getting meals twice a day has become difficult for these workers and the financial crunch is being faced by the traders as well. The report said that although at the Pakistan-Iran border of Taftan a new terminal with modern facilities was constructed last year, its opening was delayed due to the interference of some influential persons, who did not want the border to be opened.

In September some regional parties had held a sit-in protest against the prolonged closure of trade and travelling corridors at the Taftan border in Chagan district in Pakistan';s Balochistan province, the local media reported.

The protests were held by the Anjuman Tajiran, the labour union and members of various political parties. This was in fact the second protest this month that was staged by the traders against the blockade of the trade corridors, the Dawn reported.

The Iranian authorities in October had closed the border with Pakistan at Taftan after clashes between the protesters and security forces in Zahedan. The report said that the Federal investigation Agency, the immigration and transit gate for trade and tax free trade gate, Zero Point, remained closed from the Iranian side.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday warned that Pakistan is sinking. He announced that the PTI governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will dissolve the assemblies on December 23 to pave the way for fresh polls.

Till the time free and fair elections are not held we are afraid that the country will sink. Khan said in a video address.

These developments come at a time when Pakistan's economy continue to deteriorate due to the various decisions that have been made by the government. Further Islamabad's foreign exchange crisis too has worsened with reserves depleting to a critical low of USD 8 billion when compared to the over USD 20 billion in August 2021.