QUETTA: The Balochistan government has imposed a complete ban on the illegal transportation and sale of Iranian petrol and diesel, citing security and economic concerns.
According to an official report, around 2.8 billion liters of petrol and diesel are smuggled annually from Iran into Balochistan, causing an estimated loss of 227 billion rupees to the national exchequer.
In response to a joint security agencies’ report, the government has taken strict measures to curb the illegal fuel trade, tightening surveillance along the 900-kilometer-long border with Iran.
As part of this crackdown, the district administration in Quetta has sealed around 600 illegal Iranian petrol pumps across the city.
Meanwhile, opposition members in the Balochistan Assembly have strongly criticized the government’s decision, expressing serious reservations. The business community in Balochistan has also voiced concern, arguing that the ban will further increase unemployment and poverty in the province.
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