Session of Pakistan-Iran higher border commission starts in Quetta

QUETTA: A three-day session of Pakistan-Iran Higher Border Commission (HBC) has started in Quetta where Balochistan’s home minister Mir Ziaullah Lango is heading the Islamabad delegation, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The new round of talks has commenced between Pakistan and Iran for border management in order to get rid of terrorism, smuggling of arms, narcotics and human trafficking.

While addressing the session, Balochistan home minister said it is the government’s top priority to focus on joint economic and security interests. He urged for the elimination of terrorism, weapons and narcotics smuggling, as well as human trafficking through effective measures. He added that terrorist elements are risking peace and stability in border areas of Pakistan and Iran.

According to the Iranian news agency, Iran’s Consul General in Quetta, Mohammad Rafiee had told IRNA yesterday said that a twenty-member delegation of Tehran will be led by Mohammad Hadi Marashi.

Read: Pakistan, Iran to expedite opening new border crossing points

He added that during the meeting important decisions would be taken on border issues, counter-terrorism efforts, illegal trade, drugs smuggling, illegal border crossing and human trafficking.

Rafiee said that an agreement will also be signed between both countries at the end of the meeting.

The HBC is a mechanism for consultations between the two countries to discuss all border-related issues for enhanced coordination at different levels. The first session of the commission was held in Tehran last year in July.

The second session was held in the follow-up of the decisions taken by the leadership of the two countries during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Iran in April 2019.

In July last year, Pakistan and Iran had reaffirmed its commitment to expediting the opening of new border crossing points along their 959 kilometre-long border.

The second session of Pakistan-Iran Higher Border Commission (HBC) was held in Islamabad.

Read: Pakistan, Iran resolve to continue efforts for regional peace

Director General (Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri led the Pakistani side while Iranian delegation was led by Director General of International Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abbas Bagherpour Ardekani.

Over the course of the meeting, the two sides held constructive discussions on effective implementation of the existing border mechanisms within the relevant frameworks, including Agreement for Administration of Pakistan-Iran border of 1960.

They agreed to further strengthen mutual cooperation in these areas.  Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expedite the opening of new border crossing points with mutual understanding.

Both parties emphasised the necessity of updating border maps and border pillar descriptions and carrying out joint border surveys.

The two sides also shared the understating about their effective border management efforts through appropriate measures including physical installations such as fencing.