Pakistan's heavy-handed restrictions on border trade with Iran have plunged the border towns of Balochistan's Rakhshan and Makran divisions into turmoil, crippling the local economy and intensifying poverty in one of the country's most neglected provinces, according to a report by Dawn.
According to PICSS, there has been a 'dangerous increase' in anti-government violence in Pakistan during August, making it the most turbulent month in this period, with Balochistan recording the highest number of deaths
In a newsletter, the Taliban-led Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said that 11,997 Afghan migrants were expelled by the governments of Pakistan and Iran and have returned to Afghanistan.
Locals from the Mashkel area of Rakhshan in hundreds (near the Pakistan-Iran border) on Saturday launched a long march towards Quetta, Balochistan over the the closure of the Pak-Iran Maza Sar border crossing, calling it an essential element for their survival.
Criticising the mistreatment by the authorities in Pakistan and Iran, the Afghan migrants who have forcibly deported from the nations have called for international attention to their plight there, according to TOLOnews.
Over 2000 Afghan migrants re-entered the nation on Tuesday after they were expelled by neighbouring countries of Pakistan and Iran, TOLOnews reported citing the Taliban-led Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.
Pointing to constant intervention by the European and Western nations, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that he is hopeful that the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project will be completed and that no obstacle would hamper the process, according to Geo News.
Earlier, Pakistan and Iran agreed that the Kashmir issue should be resolved through "peaceful means based on the will of the people" of the region, said a joint statement issued by the two countries after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's maiden visit.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Pakistan on an official visit spanning three days, starting from Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan said.
Quite similar to balancing on a sea-saw, Pakistan is also dangling between maintaining its relationship with both Saudi Arabia, and Iran amid regional security concerns and persistent economic challenges.
In a disturbing turn of events, human smugglers targeted Pakistani immigrants seeking passage via Iran to reach Europe. extorting and torturing them while also demanding ransom, Dawn reported on Sunday.