Pakistan Scraps One-Document Border Regime With Iran, Mandates Passport-Visa Travel | Exclusive

Pakistan scrapped the long-standing one-document Rahdari system governing cross-border movement with Iran, a move that signals a significant shift in its regional security posture and geopolitical alignments.

Only commuters holding a valid passport and visa will be permitted to cross the Pakistan-Iran border under the new policy.

Government officials said the decision will come into force in phases, beginning March 15, with the policy to be formally inaugurated on March 31, 2026.

Once implemented, the arrangement will end the decades-old practice that allowed residents of border regions to travel across the frontier using a single locally issued document.

The Rahdari system had enabled communities along the Pakistan-Iran border, particularly in

Balochistan, to maintain social, cultural, and economic ties through relatively unrestricted movement.

Its withdrawal marks a sharp departure from past bilateral understandings.

Senior intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that the decision reflects mounting pressure from Pakistan’s security establishment to tighten control over what has long been viewed as a porous and difficult-to-monitor border.

Officials cite increasing use of the Iran frontier as a transit route for militant activity, smuggling networks, and informal financial flows.

The move is also seen as aligning Pakistan more closely with the security expectations of the United States and key Gulf partners, particularly in relation to monitoring cross-border movement connected to Iran.

By enforcing strict passport and visa requirements, Islamabad is signalling compliance with broader counter-terrorism frameworks and sanctions-sensitive international norms.

Notably, the decision appears to have been taken unilaterally, without a fresh bilateral arrangement with Tehran.

Analysts say this underscores Pakistan’s evolving strategic priorities and suggests a willingness to recalibrate ties with Iran amid wider regional and global pressures.

However, the policy shift is expected to have a direct impact on border communities, especially in Baloch areas where livelihoods depend on daily cross-border access.

Observers note that Rawalpindi’s security calculations now appear to outweigh domestic political and humanitarian considerations.