PAJCCI voices its concerns over worsening Pak-Afghan trade ‘crisis’ due to border closures

KARACHI: President of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PAJCCI) Junaid Makda has formally written a detailed letter to the Ministry of Commerce, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Member Customs (OPS) FBR, and the Director General, Directorate General of Transit Trade, urging immediate government intervention on the worsening trade crisis resulting from the prolonged closure of Pakistan–Afghanistan borders.

Makda highlighted that thousands of containers carrying bilateral, transit and Central Asian Republics (CARs) cargo remain stranded across Pakistan, including goods destined for Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and other regional economies.

This prolonged blockade has triggered significant financial losses for traders, transporters, bonded carriers and clearing agents many of whom are Pakistani nationals now forced to absorb daily port demurrage and shipping line detention charges of USD 150–200 per container.

He further underlined that Pakistan–Afghanistan bilateral and transit trade together hold a potential of over USD 5 billion annually, directly supporting Pakistan’s economy and strengthening the country’s regional position.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025