Former Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani Urges Regulation, Not Ban, on Border Trade

Independent desk. Quetta. Nov. 18
Former Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has emphasized the importance of border trade, warning that its closure would exacerbate economic hardship and poverty, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sanjrani stressed that border trade is the sole source of livelihood for people residing along the borders in these provinces.

He advocated for introducing a modern regulatory system instead of banning border trade, citing the devastating impact of restrictions on daily trade, which would push millions of people below the poverty line.¹ Sanjrani cautioned that such measures would lead to widespread economic despair and desperation in Balochistan.

Moreover, he expressed concerns that restricting people’s livelihoods would fuel anti-state elements, further destabilizing the economy already burdened by unemployment and poverty. Sanjrani’s stance echoes the World Bank’s findings that trade has been a powerful driver of economic development and poverty reduction, lifting some 1 billion people out of poverty in recent decades.