Trader bodies express serious concern over prolonged closure of Pak-Afghan border

With commercial cargo trucks, some with perishable goods, stranded at the Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province since October 11, two top trade bodies on Sunday urged the Pakistan government to take immediate and effective measures to resolve the crisis.

Clashes broke out between Pakistan and Afghanistan on October 11, resulting in casualties on both sides. A ceasefire was agreed between the two sides on October 15, which had been extended even as the third round of bilateral talks ended on Saturday without any agreement.

The Waziristan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Pakistan Borders Trade Council have pointed out how the unexpected border shutdown for almost a month now has paralysed trade activities across the region.

In a press statement, Haji Qadeerullah Wazir, President of the Chamber and senior leader of the Pakistan Borders Trade Council, said that this situation is not only a traders’ issue but also a matter of livelihood for thousands of workers, truck drivers, clearing agents, and labourers who depend on cross-border trade.

Dozens of commercial cargo trucks have been stranded for weeks in North Waziristan and adjoining border areas. The perishable goods on board that include food items, vegetables, fruits, medicines, and other daily essentials, face the risk of spoilage, potentially causing losses worth millions of Pakistani rupees to traders, the traders' body said.

Repeated border closures, Wazir added, have created frustration, uncertainty, and mistrust among the business community, negatively affecting both the regional economy and Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.

He appealed to the government to allow immediate clearance of all stranded cargo on humanitarian and economic grounds so that trade can resume and traders’ financial losses can be mitigated.

According to officials, Pakistan exports cement, medicines, flour, steel, textiles, fruits, and vegetables to Afghanistan, while it imports coal, soapstone, dry fruits and fresh fruits from across the border.