Pakistan-Afghanistan trade falls from $1.3bn to $358m — Dawn
In Pakistan, bilateral trade with Afghanistan declined from $1.3 billion in the 2024–2025 financial year to $358 million in 2025–2026. As Dawn reports, data from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan indicate a 74% year-on-year drop in trade volumes.
Closed border crossings
The Torkham crossing on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was closed on October 12, 2025, following deadly clashes between the two countries. Other crossings, including Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan and Angur Adda in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as well as Chaman in Balochistan, also remain closed to all types of trade.
Islamabad says it will not engage with Kabul without concrete action against terrorists who, according to Pakistan's position, operate from Afghan territory. Pakistani transport companies and the pharmaceutical industry have suffered significant losses amid the border closure.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Business and transit losses
According to data released in July, Afghan transit trade fell from nearly 89,000 containers worth $5 billion to 11,592 containers worth $367 million in the last financial year. Pakistan exported pharmaceutical products, cement, plastics, rice, fruit and vegetables to Afghanistan, and imported onions, tomatoes, seeds, grapes, dried apricots, apples, coal and unprocessed lead.
Former Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Junaid Altaf said the border closure had particularly affected businesses, workers and border communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the pharmaceutical sector exported products worth about $130 million to Afghanistan in the 2023–2024 financial year.
Malik Sohni, president of the Pakistan Agricultural Produce Traders Federation, said that before the border closure, up to 50 trucks carrying potatoes and 25 trucks carrying green vegetables travelled to Afghanistan daily. He claims to have suffered losses of 180 million Pakistani rupees due to falling prices after the sudden escalation of hostilities.
