BHC Protests Closure of Taftan Border, Pilgrims Face Severe Hardships

Shiite News: The Balochistan Shia Conference (BHC) has expressed serious concern over the continued closure of the Taftan border for the past eight months, which has caused severe difficulties for pilgrims traveling to Iran and Iraq for religious pilgrimages.
During a cabinet meeting held in Quetta, the conference appealed to the Government of Pakistan and the Chief of Army Staff to immediately reopen the Taftan border for pilgrims. The participants stated that the border remains closed without clear reasons, leaving pilgrims stranded and distressed.
The conference highlighted that nearly 95 percent of pilgrims using the Taftan route are poor and cannot afford air travel, while only five percent travel by air.
Due to rising travel costs, most pilgrims are unable to visit holy shrines. The meeting urged the authorities to take immediate steps to reopen the border, especially after the introduction of the Pilgrims Group Organizers Policy, to ease the suffering of pilgrims.