Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: The Torkham trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan reopened on March 19 after a 25-day closure, which disrupted international trade worth billions of dollars and caused Pakistan’s national treasury to lose approximately $75 million in customs revenue, traders and officials said on Saturday.
The closure, which began on February 1, was triggered by the construction of Afghan military installations near the border within Pakistani territory, escalating tensions between the two nations. Consequently, all import, export and transit trade activities were suspended, severely impacting both countries’ economies.
Haji Yusuf Afridi, President of the Khyber Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said that Pakistan exports medicines, cement, medical equipment, sports goods, fresh fruits and vegetables to Afghanistan, while imports include coal, soapstone, fresh fruits and dry fruits. He said that Pakistan conducts an average of $1.5 billion in daily trade with Afghanistan, meaning that the closure resulted in a loss of approximately $37.5 billion in bilateral trade, dealing a major blow to Pakistan’s struggling industries.
Additionally, Afridi highlighted that Pakistan suffered an estimated $3 million in daily customs revenue losses, amounting to a total loss of $75 million over 25 days.
Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, advisor to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), described Torkham as Pakistan’s second-busiest trade route after Karachi. He emphasized that it facilitates trade with Afghanistan and serves as a key transit point for Central Asian countries.
Under the TIR agreement, Pakistan has recently expanded trade to Russia, with 1,500 to 2,000 cargo trucks crossing the Torkham checkpoint daily. Kazmi stressed that Pakistan and Afghanistan should resolve disputes through negotiations to prevent future disruptions and promote regional trade, strengthening the economy.
Reopening the Torkham trade route was expected to restore economic activity, benefiting industries and businesses reliant on cross-border trade between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
