ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy continues to suffer significant trade losses as the Torkham and Chaman border crossings with Afghanistan remain closed for the 10th straight day, despite a Qatar-mediated ceasefire agreement the two countries have signed in Doha.
The prolonged closure, triggered by escalating tensions and cross-border violent skirmishes earlier this month, has brought trade activities and pedestrian movement to a standstill.
A well-placed source said a high-level Pakistani delegation arrived in Kabul late on Monday to deliberate on visa and other critical issues.
However, the details and mandate of the delegation remained unknown.
Talking to Business Recorder via telephone, Mujib Shinwari, President of the All Torkham Border Customs Clearing Agents Association, said Pakistan is incurring daily losses of USD 1.5 million in exports and Rs450 million in imports due to the border closures.
“Our fragile economy cannot tolerate such heavy losses. More than 200 loaded trucks and containers are currently stranded at Landi Kotal and Torkham, he said, adding these horrific statistics are known losses.
The actual economic damage and unforeseen/ indirect losses could be much higher.”
Shinwari; however, hinted that some extraordinary arrangements have been made, such as the installation of scanners and the return of the National Logistics Cell (NLC) staff at the Torkham border terminal, but, unfortunately, no official decision has yet been announced regarding the reopening of the border crossing.
Likewise, an official from Balochistan reported that the Chaman border has also remained closed for the past 10 days, with known trade losses exceeding Rs10 million every day. “The Chaman crossing was briefly reopened on Monday evening, for a few hours and exclusively for the repatriation of Afghan nationals.”
The official disclosed that over 1,000 trucks and containers remain stuck in and around Chaman city and the border zone, severely disrupting supply chains.
Pakistani authorities did; however, allow hundreds of empty trucks — previously stranded on the Afghan side in Spin Boldak — to re-enter the country after special permission granted by the federal government, he said, adding these vehicles were transporting the belongings of repatriated Afghan refugees but had been held up due to the border closure.
Despite the indefinite ceasefire agreement signed in Doha last Saturday, tangible progress on fully reopening the border crossings has yet to be made.
It is worth mentioning here that on 11 October, the Pak-Afghan border was shut down for all kinds of trade and other activities following the Afghan forces’ attack.
Sources revealed that staffers of customs, immigration, the NLC, and other concerned departments were asked to ensure their attendance in their offices at the Torkham border terminal.
On the other side of the border, the Afghan border security officials have also lined up the perishable (fruits and vegetables) loaded trucks to approach the border easily, but restricted their entry into Pakistan, Afghan officials said.
Meanwhile, the border closures multiplied the miseries of the transporters, local traders, and daily wagers on both sides.
They were of the view that Torkham was the only source of income for them, and in case of the border closure, their families were compelled to starve.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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