KABUL: The Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan has announced that transit goods from Afghanistan, which were previously halted at the ports of Karachi, Gwadar, and other border crossings, can now be re-exported upon request from exporters. The decision comes after the Federal Board of Revenue of Pakistan accepted a special exemption. Previously, Afghan traders reported that thousands of containers of their goods, valued at billions of dollars, were stuck solely at the Karachi port. Trade routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan had been closed for nearly three months, effectively halting commerce between the two countries. The closure occurred last October following clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani troops along the Durand Line. So far, the Taliban government in Afghanistan has not commented on Pakistan’s recent decision but it had previously stated that trade routes would only reopen once Islamabad guarantees that these routes will not be closed again under any circumstances. The decision by Pakistan could decrease some economic pressure on Afghan traders, but concerns regarding the security and sustainability of trade routes remain.
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