Following the closure of Pakistan’s border crossings with Afghanistan, for the first time, a Pakistani export shipment was sent to Uzbekistan via Iran. A Pakistani official announced that commercial activities under the Pakistan-Iran transit corridor have officially begun.
Sanaullah Abro, a customs official in Pakistan, told the Express Tribune on Monday that the initial shipment, which included meat, was sent to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, via refrigerated trucks.
He added that, under this corridor, Pakistan’s export goods will be transported from Gwadar and Iran to Central Asian countries.
He also emphasized that the operationalization of this corridor will not only accelerate Pakistan’s economic growth but will also increase traffic at the country’s ports.
Before the launch of this new corridor, Pakistan used to transport some of its export shipments to Central Asia through Afghanistan.
After border clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistan, Islamabad closed the Torkham and Chaman border crossings on October 12, 2025.
The closure of these border crossings and the disruption of trade between the two countries has led the Taliban to increase its commercial interactions with neighboring countries, especially Iran and Uzbekistan.
The closure of these crossings has caused significant economic damage to traders in both countries.
