Tehran, Iran, July 5
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Iran and Pakistan are going to launch three checkpoints along their shared border, Sistan-Baluchestan Province's Deputy Governor General in Security and Police Affairs Ali Asqar Mirshekari said.
Measures were also taken to boost border market grounds and also provide for their security, Mirshekari said, commenting on agreements made by a joint Iranian-Pakistani group which regularly meet to resolve mutual concerns.
The official also stated that measures have been taken to provide security for Iranian transit drivers who frequent into the Pakistani soil, Fars news agency reported July 5.
Iran has 925 kilometers of border with Pakistan. So far there was only the Mirjaveh checkpoint that let travelers through from one country to another.
The Mirjaveh border point could not be enough and the need was there to launch new checkpoints, Mirshekari stated.
Therefore, three border points are going to be launched at border areas that link Iranian towns of Pishin, Koohak, and Rimdan to Pakistan's Man, Pangoor, and Gabd respectively, the official said.
He further said the two countries aim to boost mutual trade to $5 billion a year, adding that the related agreement has been made during Pakistani PM Mohammad Nawaz Sharif's trip to Iran when he met President Hassan Rouhani.
Trade turnover between the two countries has fallen from $3 billion to one billion dollars in recent years.
Iran and Pakistan signed nine memorandums of understanding to promote cooperation between the two countries in different sectors during a meeting between Iran's first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri and Nawaz Sharif in Tehran on May 11.