Panjgur: The provincial chief of Jamaat-e-Islami and member of the Balochistan Assembly, Maulana Hidayat ur Rehman Baloch, while addressing a Jirga organized by the Haq Do Tehreek Panjgur against the closure of the border, said that shutting down border trade without providing alternative sources of livelihood amounts to the economic massacre of hundreds of thousands of people.
He strongly condemned the move, announcing that a province-wide protest schedule would be launched, culminating in a sit-in outside the Balochistan Assembly.
He stated that he has consistently raised his voice in the Assembly regarding the border issue and also lodged a protest in the current session against the closure.
According to him, this is a collective problem, and representatives of Makran and Rakhshan divisions must formulate a joint strategy to combat rising unemployment and defend the livelihoods of their people.
Highlighting the seriousness of the crisis, Maulana said that the border shutdown has triggered a severe economic crisis with grave consequences for society.
Many families can no longer afford daily household needs, educational expenses, or medical treatments.
Some parents, due to lack of funds, are being forced to withdraw their children from schools.
He urged the public to stand united in defending their livelihoods, stressing that they must decide whether to suffer in hunger or come together to secure their right to employment.
The jirga was also addressed by Haq Do Tehreek district organizer Mulla Farhad, Border Bachao leaders Najeeb, Saleem Hafiz, Siraj Ahmed, and others.
Border trade in Balochistan, particularly with Iran and Afghanistan, plays a vital role in the survival of local communities.
Thousands of families directly depend on cross-border trade of fuel, food items, and essential goods for their daily income.
When borders are closed without prior arrangements or alternative employment opportunities, it disrupts local markets, restricts the availability of goods, and severely impacts small traders and laborers who rely on daily cross-border exchanges.
The closure also fuels unemployment, leading to widespread poverty and frustration among youth.
Educational dropouts and lack of medical affordability further aggravate the situation, pushing communities toward social instability.
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Moreover, informal trade at the borders has historically been a lifeline for Balochistan’s marginalized population, and restricting it without offering a structured economic alternative risk deepening the economic divide and creating long-term dependency crises in the region.
