Thousands of Traders Stranded in Karachi Due to Closed Border Crossings
The Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned that over ten thousand Afghan and Pakistani traders are stuck at Karachi port with their transit shipments due to closed border crossings, suffering extensive losses.
On Tuesday, December 29, the Express Tribune cited this organization as reporting that the continued closure of the Torkham, Spin Boldak, Chaman, and Ghulam Khan crossings has disrupted normal trade between the two sides and imposed heavy economic pressure on traders.
According to the report, between 11,000 and 12,000 containers related to transit trade from Afghanistan and Central Asian republics remain halted at Karachi port because of the closed borders, making their transfer impossible.
At the same time, thousands of export and import trucks are also stranded along these crossings, with perishable goods deteriorating, which increases the traders’ losses.
The United Nations has also reported that the closures between the Taliban administration and Pakistan cause approximately one million dollars in daily losses to traders on both sides. This situation underscores the negative impact of the Taliban administration’s border-related decisions and tensions on Afghanistan’s economy and the livelihoods of its residents.
