ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce, chaired by Senator Anusha Rahman, discussed the delayed reopening of the Badini border route.
Senator Rahman noted that the Ministry of Commerce had earlier promised to reopen the Badini crossing within a month.
During the briefing, the Commerce Secretary informed the committee that the Badini border in Qila Saifullah was inaugurated in 2020 but was closed after ten months.
He explained that the closure resulted from poor infrastructure, including extremely weak roads, and the absence of Afghan customs officials on the other side.
The Secretary added that discussions would be held with the Balochistan government regarding the reopening.
Senator Saleem Mandviwalla remarked that the Balochistan Chief Secretary had already assured there was no delay on their part.
The committee was further briefed that ECNEC had approved the construction of a terminal at the Pakistan-Afghanistan Badini border.
The Commerce Secretary stated that the project involves building a 40-kilometer road, prompting Senator Rahman to question why such a short stretch would take so long to complete.
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The Secretary responded that Afghan authorities have shown little interest in the project
