Between West Asia crisis and heatwave: Pakistan bikers risk lives to smuggle Iranian fuel

Motorbike riders in Pakistan's Balochistan province are risking extreme heat, armed conflict and deadly accidents to transport smuggled Iranian fuel across the country, as higher oil prices linked to the recent Iran-Israel conflict boost demand for cheaper petrol and diesel. The illegal trade has reportedly expanded in recent months after disruptions to regional energy markets pushed up fuel prices, making smuggled Iranian fuel more attractive to buyers in Pakistan. Many riders transport hundreds of litres of fuel on motorbikes through remote areas of Balochistan, where temperatures can reach 50C. The fuel is often carried in plastic containers that can leak or rupture in the heat, creating a serious fire risk. Among them is Mazaar, a smuggler whose name has been changed for security reasons. He recently transported five 70-litre containers of petrol, weighing about 272kg, on a 350km journey from Mastung in Balochistan to neighbouring Sindh province. "We do this because we don't have any other option," BBC reported quoting Mazaar, "The weather is hot, the prices are high and we spend day and night on the road." The trade remains a key source of income in Balochistan, one of Pakistan's poorest provinces. Mazaar said he turned to fuel smuggling after drought forced him to abandon farming. A leaked Pakistani intelligence report cited by Nikkei Asia estimated that fuel worth around $1 billion is smuggled annually from Iran into Pakistan, with roughly 2.4 million people in Balochistan involved in the trade. Pakistan's oil industry has warned that fuel smuggling is increasing. The country's major refineries and the Oil Companies Advisory Council have recently urged the government to act, saying official petroleum sales have been hit by the growing flow of illicit fuel. Fuel smuggling is illegal in Pakistan and can result in fines, vehicle seizures and prison sentences. The government says Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a crackdown, with authorities seizing fuel worth about 1.3 billion Pakistani rupees over the past year. Despite the risks, riders continue to operate across the volatile border region, where decades-long clashes between security forces and separatist insurgents add another layer of danger to an already hazardous trade.