Islamabad, Sep 16 (IANS): The Pakistan-Iran Pishin border market is expected to open in October, which will help promote free trade between the two countries, Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar said here.

He made the remarks during a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday with Iran's parliamentary delegation, reports Xinhua news agency.

The market's construction has been completed and its inauguration is on the cards, while work on the other three border markets including in Gabd, Rimdan, and Kohak will start soon, he said.

Qamar said that a total of 12 border markets were proposed to increase the trade volume between the two countries, out of which nine have been mutually approved, adding that there will be trade activities through these border markets under a barter system.

There is a dire need to increase the trade of petroleum and gas, the Minister was quoted as saying in the statement.

Speaking on the occasion, Malek Fazeli, the head of Iranian parliamentary delegation, said that Pakistan and Iran "are neighbouring countries with a common border spread over 920 km from which mutual trade is carried out and movement of people continues throughout the year".

He desired that there should be increase in the volume of mutual trade, adding that Iran cooperated with Pakistan in overcoming the shortage of onion and tomatoes.