QUETTA‘ Opposition lawmakers in the Balochistan Assembly BA on Thursday mounted pressure on the provincial government to shield local farmers from unfair competition and address the economic crisis in border districts stemming from suspended cross-border trade.
During a session chaired by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, legislators argued that the provincial economy, which leans heavily on agriculture, livestock, and border commerce, is under severe stress. They called for immediate intervention to protect livelihoods .
Speaking on a point of order, National Party legislator Kulsoom Niaz Baloch highlighted that with the livestock sector collapsed and cross-border trade suspended, agriculture remains the only viable source of income for many. She raised a critical concern for local farmers, stating that their harvest seasons are undermined when markets are flooded with fruit and vegetable imports from Iran and Afghanistan, causing heavy losses.
“Farmers are not seeking funds or subsidies,” Baloch emphasized, “but simply demand attention to their sector so their economic losses could be prevented and provincial economic activity revived.”
Echoing these concerns, Mir Zabid Ali Reki, another lawmaker, focused on the fallout from closed borders with Afghanistan and Iran. He stated that the trade closure has left hundreds of thousands of people unemployed . Reki argued that if the government is determined to keep the borders closed, it must provide alternative employment opportunities to those affected so they can sustain their livelihoods.
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The protest against border closures is not a new issue in the province. A recent report by the Baloch National Movement highlighted that intermittent border shutdowns lead to “hunger and mass unemployment,” crippling an economy with little industrial infrastructure . The situation in districts like Panjgur has been described as a full-blown crisis, where border closures have left thousands jobless, affecting everyone from daily wage laborers to private schools .
The assembly session was later adjourned until October 20.
