Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami Calls for Reopening Border Crossings with Afghanistan

DID Press: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan has called for the reopening of border crossings with Afghanistan, the legalization of trade with Iran, and the completion of the Iran–Pakistan gas pipeline, describing these steps as essential for economic stability.

According to Pakistani media reports, party chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman made the remarks during a public gathering in Zhob under the slogan “Change the System,” where he also announced plans for a nationwide strike after Eid al-Adha over rising fuel and electricity prices.

He urged residents and traders in Balochistan to support the protest movement, arguing that only systemic political change can resolve long-standing economic grievances in the region.

Rehman proposed forming a joint committee of tribes and traders from both sides of the Afghanistan–Pakistan border to facilitate the reopening of crossings such as Chaman Border Crossing, suggesting that special border trade zones and local tribal involvement in security could improve conditions.

He also criticized current border management policies, claiming that crossings are sometimes opened selectively for profit, while harming the livelihoods of thousands of people.

Separately, Maulana Hidayat ur Rehman Baloch, a provincial assembly member and Jamaat-e-Islami leader in Balochistan, said regional resources should be used for public welfare and claimed the party could address issues such as unemployment, insecurity, corruption, and missing persons if supported by the public.