According to Pakistani officials, the closure of key border routes along the Durand Line with Afghanistan, along with disruptions to regional trade corridors, has caused losses exceeding $1.4 billion to the country’s foreign trade.
Reports indicate that this information was presented to a committee of the Parliament of Pakistan. The report states that restrictions on movement through Afghanistan, as well as political and security instability along certain Gulf trade routes, have had a profound impact on Pakistan’s exports and transit operations.
According to the report, since October 2025, the closure of major border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan has brought bilateral trade between the two countries to an almost complete standstill.
The data further shows that Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan declined to approximately $85.6 million by April of the current year, compared to over $818 million during the same period last year.
The report adds that thousands of containers remain stranded at ports and border crossings due to the closure of these routes. This situation has significantly disrupted the transportation of pharmaceuticals, food supplies, cement, and other industrial goods.
Pakistani authorities state that the disruption of transit corridors has not only damaged trade with Afghanistan but has also weakened Pakistan’s export flows to Central Asian countries and reduced its access to markets in the Gulf states.
They have warned that if regional tensions persist and border closures continue, Pakistan’s trade losses are likely to increase further.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
