Quetta (AsiaNews) - The Pakistani government has decided to close "indefinitely" part of the border that separates the country from Iran. The provision, which concerns only the area of Taftan, is accompanied by the order to open fire on anyone who crosses the rest of the area of demarcation. According to Islamabad, the decision was necessary for security reasons, but some analysts indicate a deterioration in relations with Tehran.
The closing of the Door of Friendship (editor's note: the semi-official name of the border) has led to a shortage of staples for Pakistani citizens in the area. "Informal" trade between the two sides of the border was, in fact, one of the main sources of supplies for the local population.
An anonymous representative of the western province of Balochistan explains: "Such measures are often taken by both the sides due to security reasons. In the past, we used to close the border on the instructions of the federal government but this time the border has been closed on the orders of the provincial government".
But some analysts explain, on the basis of the closing of the border, that there has been a cooling in relations between the two governments: the new Pakistani government, led by the People's Party, is far from the Islamist positions of its predecessor, and "wants to halt at all costs the influence of Iran in the country".
