Pakistan’s New Restrictions on Afghan Trade

23 Aug

Pakistan’s New Restrictions on Afghan Trade

In recent months, Afghanistan’s trade and transport sectors have been facing unprecedented challenges. Pakistan has tightened requirements for trade documents and visas, closed the Wagah border at times, and imposed high tariffs. These measures have created serious problems for Afghan traders, exporters, and truck drivers. In the transport sector, drivers are now required to obtain not only trade permits but also visas. This has slowed down the trading process and left dozens of trucks stranded at border crossings. In many cases, drivers have had to pay extra money in the name of visa fees and wait for long periods, which has delayed the timely delivery of export goods.

These barriers are not only limited to transport but have also had a widespread negative effect on exports, especially Afghanistan’s dry fruit sector. The closure of the Wagah border and the imposition of high tariffs have weakened Afghanistan’s competitive position in international markets. Delays in the movement of export products, combined with increased harvests and blocked trade routes, along with heavy costs, have harmed both exporters and farmers. Other issues such as the instability of air corridors, banking restrictions, delays in the process of checking export documents, and the high cost of alternative routes have also added to the problem. As a result, shipments of goods are often delayed for one to two weeks. Although there are ongoing efforts to expand exports through Bandar Abbas in Iran, the limited capacity of that route raises concerns that a large share of Afghanistan’s dry fruit exports may be damaged. If alternative routes are not strengthened with proper facilities, the overall volume of exports will decrease significantly.

At present, if these problems are not addressed urgently, Afghanistan’s dry fruit industry will face severe challenges, and thousands of farmers, orchard owners, and producers will lose their income. Overall, reducing the current trade barriers and providing easier transport routes would not only benefit Afghanistan but also the entire region.

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23 Aug