Photo: bloompakistan1 min read
The closure of trade routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan for nearly two months has put over 11,000 containers of Afghan traders’ goods at Karachi port at risk of spoilage.
Khan Jan Alkhozi, a board member of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, stated that the value of these goods is estimated at over $6 billion. Traders say they pay up to $150 per container daily, incurring heavy losses.
Following border clashes along the Durand Line, key crossings, including Torkham and Spin Boldak–Chaman, were closed by Pakistan. Despite several rounds of talks in Qatar and Turkey, these routes remain closed.
The Taliban government and the Pakistani government blame each other for the trade stoppage. In the latest reaction, Ishaq Dar announced efforts to reopen the routes, conditional on approval from Shehbaz Sharif, and the Torkham crossing was supposed to reopen on Sunday, but it did not.