QUETTA: The Balochistan government has decided to impose a complete ban on the illegal transport and sale of Iranian petrol and diesel due to security concerns and the heavy economic toll it takes.
According to official data, approximately 2.8 billion liters of petrol and diesel are smuggled annually from Iran through Balochistan, resulting in a significant loss of around Rs. 227 billion to the national exchequer.
In response to a joint report by security agencies, the government has taken strict measures to curb the smuggling of Iranian fuel and has intensified monitoring along the 900-kilometer-long border shared with Iran.
As part of this crackdown, the Quetta district administration has sealed around 600 illegal Iranian fuel stations across the city.
The action has been confirmed by Commissioner Quetta Division, Hamza Shafqaat.
Meanwhile, opposition members in the Balochistan Assembly have strongly criticized the decision, calling it harmful to the province’s economic conditions.
Fuel smuggling from the Iran-Balochistan border has been a long-standing issue, driven by price differences between the two countries.
Due to the subsidized fuel prices in Iran, smugglers exploit the porous 900-kilometer border to illegally transport large quantities of petrol and diesel into Pakistan.
This black market not only causes major losses to the national treasury but also fuels an unregulated economy, undermines local businesses, and poses significant security challenges.
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Traders have also voiced concerns, warning that the ban could worsen unemployment and poverty in the region.
