The Taliban government in Afghanistan has ordered the cessation of trade with Pakistan, granting Afghan traders a three-month grace period to find alternative markets. At the same time, the government has decided to expand the use of Iran’s Chabahar Port for trade with India and other countries.
According to reports, Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, urged Afghan industrialists and traders to seek trade routes other than Pakistan, warning that the government would not support those who failed to comply. He made this announcement during a recent conference in Afghanistan.
The decision comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as the border has remained closed for 32 consecutive days, leaving hundreds of cargo-laden trucks stranded at the frontier.
Mullah Baradar stated that Afghanistan will now cease all trade transactions with Pakistan and directed traders to explore alternative trade routes. He noted that a major portion of Afghanistan’s imports from Pakistan consists of pharmaceuticals, granting importers three months to settle their financial matters. After that period, the Afghan Ministry of Finance will neither levy duties nor permit imports of medicines from Pakistan.
Baradar also used the occasion to criticize Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry, alleging that some imported medicines had proven ineffective. He emphasized that while no country can meet all its needs independently, trade barriers, economic restrictions, and political pressure from certain nations have made regional commerce difficult — thus, Afghanistan is pursuing alternative trade solutions.
He further claimed that Afghanistan has gained access to alternative trade routes and that its economic ties with regional countries have strengthened significantly compared to the past. Baradar added that if Pakistan wants to reopen trade routes, it must guarantee they will not be closed again in the future.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan stated on social media platform X that although Mullah Baradar announced the suspension of imports from Pakistan, the Pakistani government had already closed the border weeks earlier.
In a related development, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said it is working to facilitate Afghan traders through Iran’s Chabahar Port to enhance regional and international trade.
According to sources, Chabahar Port provides a faster and more cost-effective shipping route compared to others, making it a reliable corridor for trade between Afghanistan, India, and other countries. The port is strategically vital for Afghanistan as it offers safe access to the open waters of the Persian Gulf.
During the past year, trade through Chabahar Port totaled $2.661 billion, of which $127 million accounted for Afghan exports. Additionally, Afghanistan’s air trade volume during the first nine months of 2025 reached $275 million, including $154 million in exports and $121 million in imports.
The Afghan Dry Fruit Exporters Union highlighted the key role of Chabahar Port in facilitating exports of Afghan dry fruits to Indian markets, noting that shipments reach India within 20 to 30 days.
