Pakistan Iran Border LPG Supply Resumes After Week Long Closure

The Pakistan Iran LPG supply began moving again on Saturday, 24 October 2026, after a week in which commercial crossings with Iran were shut. The restart brought relief to traders, transporters and households that had watched cooking gas prices climb sharply during the closure.

Pakistan had suspended commercial trade at the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan crossings on 17 October 2026. The Commerce Ministry withdrew an order dated 3 October that had governed trade through the crossings, but it did not give a reason for the decision.

Local officials later pointed to security and anti-smuggling concerns, while Iran's foreign ministry described the problem as technical. For traders on the ground, the reason mattered less than the result, because loaded vehicles were left waiting and daily trade came to a standstill.

The first sign of movement came at Gabd-Rimdan, near Gwadar, on Saturday morning. Gwadar Chamber president Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati confirmed that the crossing had resumed operations, ending days of uncertainty for businesses that depend on cross border trade.

Pakistan Iran LPG supply resumes at Gabd-Rimdan

At Gabd-Rimdan, also known as Gate 250, officials began clearing commercial consignments that carried a consignment note dated 16 October or earlier. In other words, cargo that was already in the system before the suspension was allowed to move first.

That detail matters, because the reopening was partial at first rather than a full return to normal trade. Vehicles and consignments that arrived after the cut off date still faced checks and delays, and traders were watching closely to see how quickly the backlog would clear.

How many containers crossed the border

LPG importer Shaukat Isa Zai said that around 1,700 LPG containers entered Pakistan from Iran over the past two days. This figure is the importer's account, and it gives the clearest early picture of the scale of the restart.

According to that account, the Pakistan Iran LPG supply moved through both crossings, with about 400 containers entering through Taftan and about 1,300 through Gabd. The split shows how important Gabd-Rimdan has become for this trade.

Pakistan imports about 7,000 metric tonnes of LPG from Iran every day, according to a figure from the Pakistan LPG Association cited in reporting. More than 4,000 tonnes a day of that total normally comes through Gabd-Rimdan alone.

Why prices rose during the closure

During the closure, traders reported a sharp rise in the price of a 12 kilogram LPG cylinder. In Balochistan, the price rose from about Rs 4,500 to about Rs 7,000, a jump that put direct pressure on household budgets.

The reported increases were even higher in some other markets. Traders put the price at about Rs 7,500 in Lahore and about Rs 8,200 in Skardu, showing that the shortage was not limited to the border region.

The disruption to the Pakistan Iran LPG supply was therefore felt far from the crossings themselves. LPG is carried by road to towns and cities across the country, so a break at the border can push up prices in markets hundreds of kilometres away.

The closure was also marked by violence near the border. On Thursday, during the closure, unidentified gunmen attacked parked freight vehicles near Gabd-Rimdan, setting dozens of trucks ablaze and damaging others. The attack added to the fear and disruption already caused by the suspension.

What happens next for prices and clearance

Further relief may be on the way, according to early reports after the reopening. More than 200 LPG tankers were expected to clear Gabd-Rimdan, potentially bringing 3,000 to 4,000 metric tonnes of LPG into Pakistan.

Market sources expected that this additional flow could bring prices down by Rs 50 to Rs 70 per kilogram. That is an expectation, not a confirmed price cut, and readers should treat it as a sign of possible relief rather than a promise.

The Pakistan Iran LPG supply will need steady movement over the coming days for any price fall to reach ordinary buyers. A single day of crossings can ease panic, but it does not by itself rebuild stocks across the whole country.

Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir called for swift clearance of LPG tankers in the Pakistan Iran LPG supply chain, close price monitoring, and action against hoarding and profiteering.

Full normalisation depends on regular supplies and the clearance of pending cargo, not only on the reopening of a gate. Until that flow becomes routine again, the market will remain sensitive to any new delay, and households will continue to watch cylinder prices closely.

FAQs

When did LPG supply from Iran resume?

The Pakistan Iran LPG supply resumed at Gabd-Rimdan on Saturday, 24 October 2026, a week after commercial trade was suspended on 17 October 2026. Consignments with a note dated 16 October or earlier were cleared first.

Which border crossings were affected by the closure?

The Gabd-Rimdan crossing near Gwadar and the Taftan crossing were affected. Gabd-Rimdan, known as Gate 250, is a key route for LPG, with more than 4,000 tonnes a day normally passing through it.

How many LPG containers entered Pakistan after the reopening?

LPG importer Shaukat Isa Zai said around 1,700 LPG containers entered Pakistan from Iran over the past two days, including about 400 through Taftan and about 1,300 through Gabd.

How much did cylinder prices rise during the closure?

Traders reported that a 12 kilogram cylinder rose from about Rs 4,500 to about Rs 7,000 in Balochistan, about Rs 7,500 in Lahore and about Rs 8,200 in Skardu during the closure.

Have LPG prices fallen already after the reopening?

No nationwide fall has been confirmed. Market sources expected prices could fall by Rs 50 to Rs 70 per kilogram if more tankers clear, but the Pakistan Iran LPG supply needs steady movement before any relief reaches ordinary buyers.