Pak-Afghan tension: Losses up, prices soar amid prolonged closure of borders

LANDIKOTAL/PARACHINAR: Traders and transporters on Thursday urged the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to immediately reopen the Torkham border, warning that the prolonged closure has caused massive financial losses on both sides.

Torkham Customs Clearing Association President Mujeeb Shinwari said the annual bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan stands at nearly US$1 billion, while Pakistan’s national exchequer is losing around Rs700-800 million daily due to the ongoing border shutdown, which has disrupted all cross-border commercial activity.

Shinwari said the Torkham and other major border crossings have remained closed for 12 consecutive days following recent armed clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces.

The extended blockade, he added, has triggered a sharp rise in prices, particularly of fresh produce and daily-use commodities, including vegetables.“Perishable goods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and other food items imported from Afghanistan are stuck at the border and rotting in stranded trucks,” he said. “On the other hand, Afghan citizens are also facing shortages of essential Pakistani goods, including flour, cooking oil, construction materials, and medicines.”

Expressing concern over the worsening situation, former president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Zahid Shinwari, said that despite the recent Doha peace talks between the two countries, the reopening of the border was still awaited.

Noting that even in global conflict zones, trade routes remain open to prevent humanitarian crises, he urged both sides to resolve political and security disputes through dialogue rather than by halting commercial movement.

The closure, he said, has not only paralyzed trade but also devastated livelihoods across border regions. Hundreds of truck drivers and daily wage labourers who rely on cross-border transport have been left stranded without work or income.

Many drivers reported that they have run out of food and cash while waiting for days in Landikotal, Torkham, and Jalalabad.Drivers said prolonged parking under harsh weather conditions was damaging their heavy cargo and vehicle tyres, each pair costing over Rs100,000, compounding their financial hardship. According to Customs sources, more than 2,000 loaded trucks and containers carrying goods such as coal, fruits, and construction materials remain stranded on both sides of the border.

Around 5,000 passenger vehicles and taxis that operate between Peshawar, Landikotal, and Jalalabad have been idled due to the halt in passenger movement.Our correspondent adds from Parachinar: The Kharlachi border crossing in Kurram district also remained closed for the 12th consecutive day on Thursday.

Officials of the district administration said the prolonged closure had disrupted commercial transport as well as pedestrian movement on both sides of the border.Representatives of traders and transporters said that perishable goods, including fruits and vegetables loaded in trucks, have begun to spoil, causing losses worth millions of rupees.

Local residents said the suspension of cross-border trade has led to a sharp increase in prices of food items, fruits, and vegetables, further burdening low-income families.Officials said the border was sealed after recent attacks from across Afghanistan. The closure has since caused severe hardship for residents and business communities on both sides of the border.

Market sources in Khyber and Peshawar confirmed that prices of Afghan-imported fruits and vegetables have doubled within a week as supplies dried up. Grapes now sell for Rs800 per kilogram, up from Rs400, while pomegranates have risen from Rs300 to Rs600, and apples from Rs200 to Rs400.

The disruption has also affected the supply of Afghan coal, widely used in brick kilns and small industries, resulting in higher production costs.Local business leaders warned that if the standoff continues, thousands of families dependent on cross-border trade, transport, and daily wage work will face severe food insecurity.