New statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce show that trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan has declined during the first half of this year.
According to the data, trade between the two countries amounted to $1.108 billion during this period, whereas the figure for the same period last year was more than $1.117 billion.
Pakistan is considered one of Afghanistan’s largest regional trade partners, but existing challenges in trade exchanges have led to a decrease in trade volume between the two countries.
Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said: “The major export items to Pakistan included coal, cotton, processed talc stone, mung beans, cucumbers, beans, tobacco, and lentils. Major imports consisted of rice, cement, medical supplies, various types of clothing, and potatoes.”
On the other hand, the country’s Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock, citing Afghanistan’s geographical location and the dependency of export transit routes on Pakistan, emphasizes the need to strengthen economic ties between the two nations.
Wasim Safi, Chief Executive of the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock, added: “Efforts must be made to establish good trade relations so we can benefit from this situation.”
Meanwhile, some economic analysts believe that for stable trade between Kabul and Islamabad, economic issues must be separated from political tensions.
Mohammad Karim Azimi, an economic analyst, stated: “We can increase Afghanistan’s trade volume through Pakistan by using the ports of Karachi and Gwadar, which would benefit both countries.”
Although Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce has made efforts in recent months to improve trade relations with Pakistan, the closure of border crossings by Pakistan, customs tariffs, and transit challenges continue to hamper bilateral trade.
