20-Day Halted Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade Causes $50M Loss

DID Press: 20-day suspension of trade and transit between Afghanistan and Pakistan has inflicted heavy losses on traders in both countries.

Khan Jan Alkozy, head of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, said the halt in trade at border crossings has severely impacted merchants, drivers, farmers, and shopkeepers.

“Thousands of trucks carrying goods on both sides of the border have been stopped, with drivers paying up to $200 per day in demurrage fees,” he noted. 

Alkozy added that there are still no signs of the crossings reopening, despite the fact that approximately $1.5 billion in imports and $800 million in exports move through Pakistan annually.

The continued closure of these routes has not only hurt foreign trade but also caused increases in the prices of consumer goods and a slowdown in local markets in border provinces.