Afghan Traders Face $600 Million Loss Due to Border Closures

DID Press: A member of the board of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce stated that the closure of border crossings for over two months has resulted in a $600 million loss in trade with Pakistan.

The prolonged closure of Afghanistan-Pakistan border points has caused significant damage to bilateral commerce. Perishable Afghan exports, especially grapes worth around $50 million, have spoiled, and 10,000 to 15,000 containers of Afghan goods remain stranded at Pakistani ports.

Khan Jan Alkozi, board member of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce, emphasized that the border closure has caused direct and indirect losses to Afghan and Pakistani traders, with daily losses amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. Prior to the closures, trade between the two countries was approximately $200 million per month, which has now completely halted, leading to an estimated $600 million in lost trade during this period.

The disruption has also affected local production and increased prices in Afghan markets, prompting traders from both countries to seek alternative trade routes to mitigate the losses.

The closures followed border clashes between Pakistani forces and the Taliban. Multiple rounds of negotiations in Doha, Istanbul, and Riyadh have been held, but no agreement has been reached. Abdul Ghani Baradar, acting Minister of Economy of the Taliban government, previously urged traders to consider alternative trade routes with Pakistan.