SCCI chief concerned over closure of Torkham border

PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president Fazal Moqeem Khan on Wednesday said that the ongoing closure of the Pak-Afghan border was severely impacting the country’s economy, trade, and businesses.

Expressing concerns over the situation, he urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their differences through dialogue and immediately restore cross-border trade.Speaking to a delegation of traders, industrialists, and exporters at the SCCI, Moqeem said that traders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially those residing near the border, were heavily reliant on trade with Afghanistan and exports to Central Asian countries. He stressed the need to prioritise resolving the challenges faced by the business community.

The SCCI chief said that the Torkham border had been closed for trade and pedestrian movement for the past 11 days due to unspecified reasons. He estimated that the shutdown has disrupted nearly $4 million in daily mutual trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with hundreds of trucks carrying perishable and export goods stranded at the border, leading to massive financial losses for traders.

Moqeem said that frequent border closures have negatively affected the national economy and bilateral trade. Citing data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said that Pak-Afghan trade volume stood at $1.6 billion last year.

According to him, the border was abruptly closed on February 21 due to a dispute between security officials over modifications to the border infrastructure on both sides. He also pointed out that the imposition of Infrastructure Development Cess (IDC) on exports from KP has further burdened traders, forcing many to shift exports to other provinces. While the provincial government reduced the IDC rate from 2percent to 1percent, traders continue to face challenges, prompting the SCCI to call for its complete removal.

Moqeem also highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, noting that food imports from Pakistan typically surge during Ramazan. He said 5,000 trucks carrying essential food and export items have been stranded due to the border closure, exacerbating shortages.