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| Pakistan Trade Ties Within Three Months / Photo File (Anadolu Ajansı) |
Afghanistan’s Taliban deputy prime minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has directed traders in Kabul to stop relying on Pakistan’s trade routes within three months, citing repeated border closures by Pakistan as political leverage.
The new policy also prohibits imports of low-quality pharmaceuticals from Pakistan after the three-month deadline, with the Taliban warning that no government support will be provided to traders who continue using the routes.
Analysts say the order intensifies tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, following recent border clashes and unsuccessful mediation talks. Traders and citizens worry about supply shortages, as Pakistan currently supplies 60-70% of Afghanistan’s essential imports, including food, cement, and medicines.
Economists warn that disrupting these trade channels could have severe economic consequences, raising prices for basic goods and slowing infrastructure projects. Afghan traders are now exploring alternative trade routes through Iran and Central Asia, though these routes are longer and more costly.
The Taliban administration has framed the move as a sovereignty assertion, but critics argue it risks aggravating the already fragile economic situation in the country.
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