Closure of Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade Routes Costs Pakistani Exports Billions of Dollars

The prolonged closure of trade routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan has led to a sharp decline in trade between the two countries and has left Pakistani exporters with losses of about $4.5 billion.

The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics said bilateral trade volume between Afghanistan and Pakistan fell by about 28% in 2025 compared with the previous year, reaching $1.77 billion.

According to the institute’s assessment, the closure of trade routes has caused Pakistan’s exports to lose nearly $177 million a month on average.

Afghanistan and Pakistan conduct a significant portion of their trade through border crossings, and any disruption along these routes usually has a direct impact on exports, imports and the movement of commercial goods on both sides of the border.