Pakistan Border Closures Nearly Halt Afghan Exports

The closure of key crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan has sharply reduced Afghan exports via Pakistan and almost halted coal exports. The value of Afghanistan’s exports through the Waga crossing and Pakistani ports fell from $454 million in the 2025 fiscal year to $7 million in the 2026 fiscal year.

Despite these consequences, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the administration is offsetting losses from Pakistan’s border closures by using alternative routes and expanding trade with Central Asian countries. Speaking to state television on Tuesday, he said Afghanistan’s import and export needs had been met through Iran and Central Asian countries.

The World Bank has reported that in the month of Asad this year, 48% of Afghanistan’s imports came through Central Asia and 46% through Iran, while Pakistan’s share in Afghanistan’s imports fell to almost zero. The institution also said Pakistan’s border closures had reduced Afghanistan’s food exports, although textile exports had increased and some of them had been routed to China via Central Asia.

According to statistics from the Taliban-run Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the value of Afghanistan’s trade with five Central Asian countries reached $2.62 billion in 2025, up 45% from the previous year. Imports from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan rose by 43%, and exports to these countries increased by 77%; however, part of this growth had been recorded before Pakistan’s borders were closed.

According to the Taliban-run Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Afghanistan’s trade with Central Asian countries in the first five months of 2026 reached $1.278 billion. Of this amount, $1.204 billion was imports and only $74 million was exports.

Border clashes between the Taliban administration and Pakistan in میزان 1404 led to the closure of important crossings, including Torkham and Spin Boldak. Before that, the value of direct trade between the two countries was estimated at at least $6.45 million a day, or about $2.35 billion a year, and Afghan traders moved a large share of their goods through Pakistan.