Directive to End Trade with Pakistan
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has issued a strict directive to Afghan traders to end their reliance on Pakistan for trade. According to Afghan media, Baradar urged all Afghan businesspeople and industrialists to shift their imports and exports to alternative routes as soon as possible.
He emphasized that traders who continue doing business with Pakistan after the directive will not receive any support from the Afghan government. If anyone persists in trading with Pakistan, the government will not cooperate with them, Baradar warned.
Concerns Over Imported Medicines
Baradar specifically criticized the quality of medicines imported from Pakistan. He announced that importers dealing in pharmaceuticals from Pakistan have been given a three-month window to close their accounts and discontinue such imports. The government appears to be taking this step to ensure the quality and safety of medicines available in the Afghan market.
Expanding Trade Alternatives
The deputy prime minister asserted that Afghanistan now has access to alternative trade routes for both imports and exports. He claimed that the country’s economic ties with other regional partners are stronger than ever, suggesting that Afghanistan is less dependent on Pakistan than in the past.
Baradar also stated that if Pakistan wishes to reopen trade routes with Afghanistan in the future, it must provide guarantees that these routes will remain open permanently. This reflects ongoing concerns over border closures and trade disruptions between the two countries.
Political and Regional Context
The directive comes amid heightened tensions in the region. Pakistani authorities had already closed several border crossings with Afghanistan weeks earlier, citing security concerns. In response, Afghan traders and politicians have been exploring alternative routes through Iran, Central Asia, and other neighboring countries.
Senator Dr. Afnanullah Khan commented on social media platform X that Baradar’s announcement effectively calls for a complete halt to imports from Pakistan, even as Islamabad had already restricted border trade. This illustrates the complex dynamics in Afghanistan-Pakistan economic relations, which have historically been heavily intertwined.
Implications for Afghan Economy
Trade with Pakistan has long been a vital part of Afghanistan’s economy, particularly for essential goods, construction materials, and pharmaceuticals. Redirecting imports and exports could pose short-term challenges for traders, while strengthening regional partnerships could help Afghanistan reduce its dependence on a single neighbor in the long term.
Analysts suggest that this move is part of the Taliban government’s broader strategy to assert economic independence and diversify supply chains, even as it faces mounting economic pressure from sanctions and limited foreign investment.
