Pakistan’s Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has called on Islamabad to take steps to reopen the key Afghanistan-Pakistan Highway for trade and transportation.
In a statement issued this week, SCCI President Fazal Moqeem said trade has been brought to a halt due to the closure of Afghanistan-Pakistan trade routes over the past few months.
He said the mutual trade volume and transit trade had dropped to an alarming level owing to the closure of the trade route. As a result, trade has shifted from Pakistan to Iran and Central Asian Republics.
The SCCI chief feared bilateral trade would grind to a halt completely if Islamabad fails to resolve the issue urgently.
“This will not only be detrimental to the national economy but also trigger unemployment owing to the closure of business and trade,” said Muqeem.
Meanwhile, Zahidullah Shinwari, a businessman, stated that the bilateral trade volume level had decreased substantially, and that traders on both sides have incurred huge financial losses.
Shinwari said local people and travellers also faced enormous hardships due to the blockaded highway. He called on Islamabad to urgently resolve the problem.
Shinwari called for a solution to be found to the issue with mutual consensus and negotiation.
The ongoing trade challenges, including route closures, rising customs tariffs, and what Afghanistan sees as Pakistan’s disregard for established trade agreements, have had a significant impact on Afghan exports.
For Afghanistan, Pakistan remains one of the most important trading partners. The two countries share long-standing economic ties, with Afghanistan relying heavily on Pakistan as a market for its agricultural products, including fresh fruits, vegetables, and dry fruits.
The reduction in Afghan exports comes at a critical time when the country’s economy is in dire need of stability and growth. The disruption of trade routes and the imposition of tariffs further complicate efforts to strengthen Afghanistan’s trade sector and promote economic recovery.