Pakistan and Iran commit to port-to-port cooperation to boost blue economy

• Iranian minister designates port gates for regional trade.
• Pakistan minister proposes ferry service for pilgrims, traders.
• Both sides are committed to enhanced transport and maritime cooperation.
  

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran on Saturday pledged to deepen port-to-port cooperation to boost their respective blue economies, stressing the importance of enhancing regional connectivity to promote trade and investment.

The development came during a meeting between the Minister of Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, and Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed exploring new avenues of cooperation in the blue economy.

Sadegh called the two countries’ ports their main economic assets that “can serve as gateways for regional trade.”

He highlighted the joint commitment of Pakistan and Iran to enhance port cooperation and explore new trade routes in the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf.

The Iranian minister was of the view that the two nations could open new avenues for regional trade by improving bilateral maritime and transport connectivity.

The high-level meeting comes just days after Pakistan revised the Business-to-Business (B2B) Exchange Mechanism with Iran, Russia and Afghanistan.

In a notification dated October 17, the Commerce Department relaxed several conditions for barter trade with the three countries.

In today’s meeting, Minister Chaudhry proposed to start a shipping line between Pakistan and Iran.

Chaudhry emphasized that the service will provide an affordable and efficient transportation alternative for both pilgrims and traders.

“Such a ferry service would not only boost bilateral trade but also provide a cost-effective travel option for pilgrims visiting Iran and Iraq,” Chaudhry said.

Pakistan would welcome any Iranian company interested in operating such a service, he added.

Chaudhry also briefed the Iranian minister on Pakistan’s plans for a “central pilgrim management policy”, to be implemented next year.

The minister said the policy would require Pakistani pilgrims to travel through registered travel agents.

“Iran stands to gain significant economic benefits from the growing flow of Pakistani pilgrims,” ​​he added.

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation in the shipping and transport sectors.

In a separate meeting between Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Sadegh in the federal capital, the two agreed to form a joint committee to address issues related to border trade and logistics.

The joint committee, made up of officials from both sides, will submit its final report within a week. It will focus on addressing the logistical hurdles faced by Iranian commercial trucks entering Pakistan.