By Sardar Khan Niazi
It was an auspicious day for Pakistan-Iran friendship when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President of Iran Seyed Ebrahim Raisi jointly inaugurated the Mand-Pishin Border Sustenance Market aimed at boosting the bilateral trade.
Moreover, six other markets are being prepared along the Pakistan-Iran common border. They will further boost exchange on the border between the two countries. It would create jobs and increase trade between the two sides.
The Mand-Pishin border sustenance marketplace will provide a thriving platform for increasing cross-border trade, fostering economic growth, and opening up new avenues of opportunity for local businesses. The two leaders also planted a sapling on the premises of the border market as a gesture to stride forward in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
The joint inauguration is a manifestation of the strong commitment of Pakistan and Iran to uplift the welfare of residents of the neighboring provinces of Balochistan and Sistan-o-Baluchestan, respectively. It will also serve as a significant step forward in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
The inauguration of the marketplace would not only enhance bilateral trade between the two sides but would also bring prosperity to the nearby region. In the coming years, these markets would emerge as major trade points.
The prime minister and the Iranian president also inaugurated the Polan-Gabd electricity transmission line at the Mand-Pishin border crossing point. The line will play a pivotal role in meeting the energy needs of the region, including households and businesses, by bringing in an additional 100 MW of electricity from Iran.
There is a lot of capacity for electricity transmission from Iran to Pakistan. The Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi has assured that there is ample scope for solar energy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President of Iran Seyed Ebrahim Raisi had very constructive discussions on all bilateral issues between the two countries. They also discussed the CPEC. Shehbaz extended an invitation to Raisi to visit Pakistan, which the Iranian leader accepted. Delegations from Pakistan and Iran would also visit each other.
Both the neighboring countries need to move forward in all aspects including trade, agriculture, Information Technology, and other economic aspects. The pleasant news was that they have decided to finalize the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at the earliest.
Iran’s President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi said his country intends to deepen ties with neighboring Pakistan in the energy sector. Addressing the media at a joint press conference while sitting alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Raisi said his country has made rapid advancements in the energy sector including electricity, oil, and gas.
Iran produces and exports these items, and has changed the energy sector into a knowledge-based sector. Iran is keenly desirous of deepening its relations with Pakistan. Both countries can take further and larger steps in this field. The potential is there.
Our dear homeland heavily relies on imported fuels to meet its growing energy needs, which constitutes a major chunk of its import bill. We purchase energy from Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
During the joint presser, the Iranian leader lauded the role of his energy minister for the timely completion of the electricity transmission line, under which Iran will supply 100 megawatts of electricity daily to Pakistan’s Gwadar.
He said that it was possible to inaugurate the project years ago, but different reasons delayed it. He said that an increase in the capacity of the 100MW project is possible.
Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries especially in the domain of science and technology will further contribute to the development of both countries. Both sides hoped that the level of cooperation between the two countries would further increase in the future, which can lead to lasting security in the region.
