QUETTA: The Pakistan-Iran Business Council chairman, Asfand Yar Mandokhail, has called upon the federal commerce minister, Jam Kamal, to address challenges faced by the business community of Balochistan following the expiry of Balochistan High Court’s stay on Electronic Import Form (EIF) exemption for traders on October 16.

In a statement, Mr Mandokhail highlighted longstanding trade practices with Iran involving both Iranian and non-Iranian origin goods, which he said have now been disrupted because of the expiry of the stay order.

“The abrupt halt in this business has caused significant hardship to traders who have operated through legal channels for decades,” Mr Mandokhail said.

He added that while an interim relief has been granted to traders importing non-Iranian origin goods whose cargo entered Pakistan before October 16, this measure was insufficient.

He emphasised that paragraph 4 of the Import Policy Order clearly stated that amendments to the policy should not affect imports where the Bill of Lading or irrevocable Letter of Credit was issued before the amendment.

He further cited the “Doctrine of Promissory Estoppels” to support the traders’ right to protection under such circumstances.

“Therefore, we urge the commerce ministry to extend relief to all traders whose Bills of Lading are dated October 16, 2024, regardless of the date their cargo entered Pakistan,” he added.

He stressed the need for immediate action to ensure justice and fairness with the business community of Balochistan.

This appeal highlights the growing concerns of traders in the region and the urgent need for government intervention to prevent further disruption of legitimate business activities.

Published in Dawn, November 23th, 2024