Taliban Ties Reopening of Trade Routes with Pakistan to Security Guarantees
The Taliban administration has announced that the reopening of trade routes with Pakistan is contingent upon receiving credible assurances from the Pakistani government. According to a spokesperson for the Taliban, Kabul will only agree to normalize trade relations with Islamabad if it is convinced that these routes will not once again be used as tools for political pressure, unjust exploitation, or harassment of the population.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban government, accused Pakistan in a statement of unlawfully closing trade and transit routes between the two countries and using them as instruments of political and economic leverage. He claimed that this move has harmed not only the Afghan people but also ordinary Pakistanis.
The statement added that the repeated and bitter experience of Pakistan shutting down commercial borders has severely undermined trust. The Taliban administration is now demanding “strong guarantees” to ensure these routes remain open and that the rights of traders and citizens in both countries are protected.
Mujahid also emphasized that Afghanistan meets its trade needs through alternative regional routes and is not dependent on a single corridor. His remarks highlight growing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad over border management and bilateral economic relations.
