Pakistan Opens Six Land Routes for Iran Cargo

Pakistan has opened six overland routes for goods destined for Iran, issuing a formal order, the Transit of Goods through Territory of Pakistan Order 2026, that took effect on April 25. The move comes as more than 3,000 containers sit stuck at Karachi port, unable to reach Iran through normal sea routes. The blockage stems from the ongoing US-Iran conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Fighting is currently paused under a ceasefire, but the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas flowed in peacetime, and Iranian ports remain blocked. With sea access cut off, landlocked overland corridors through Pakistan have become critical. The six designated routes run through Balochistan, connecting Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar to Iranian border crossings at Gabd and Taftan. Traders must post an encashable bank guarantee equal to Pakistan's applicable import levies before goods can move. The shipments will be governed by Pakistan's Customs Act, 1969, and Federal Board of Revenue procedures. The order draws on a 2008 Pakistan-Iran road transport agreement. Whether the ceasefire holds and Iranian ports reopen will determine how long Pakistan's land corridor remains the primary lifeline for Iran-bound cargo.