The collapse against studies leads to a reduction of 84% in Afghanistan’s transit trade

• Bilateral goods increases by $ 27% to $ 1,575 billion in July -March.
• The load forward by 64%, reducing to $ 809 million.
• The reverse load is also reduced by 46% to record to $ 50 million.

Islamabad: Although the trade ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan show signs of revival, the Afghan transit trade through Pakistan has collapsed by 84% after Pakistan’s sweeping collapse, The news Reported on Monday

The latest figures from the Customs Department reveal that bilateral trade in goods has increased by 27% to $ 1,575 billion during July-March of current year (2024-25), according to the latest customs data.

This resuscitation is largely fueled by the increase of 33%of Pakistan’s exports, which amounted to $ 1.05 billion, marking the renewed demand for Pakistani goods on the border.

Afghanistan, in turn, increased its exports to Pakistan by 16%, totaling $ 524 million, reflecting a mediocre but stable flow of Afghanistan products, such as cotton, spices and cereals in Pakistani markets.

However, behind the festive numbers there is an opposite story. Afghanistan’s transit trade through Pakistan – a critical salvation for the country with a neighborhood – has collapsed significantly.

From $ 7.48 billion last year, the total transit trade has collapsed just $ 1.2 billion in the post-Crackdown period (November 2023-November 2024).

The transit trade during the first nine months (July-March) of the financial year 2024-25, declined by 64%, reducing $ 836 million from $ 2.33 billion in the same period last year. Forward Cargo (imports to Afghanistan) also sank by 64%, reducing $ 809 million from $ 2.28 billion.

Meanwhile, the reverse load (exports from Afghanistan) decreased by 46%, reducing $ 27 million from $ 50 million.

Pakistan’s exhaust basket in Afghanistan has undergone significant displacement. The top of the increase is sugar, which jumped a stunning $ 4,333%, reaching $ 262.8 million – from just $ 5.9 million last year. Pharmaceuticals, cement, edible oils and aluminum products also published strong double -digit development.

Exports of agriculture and food to Afghanistan increased by $ 43% to $ 690 million, while construction and engineering increased by 18% to $ 353 million. However, textile and clothing shipments decreased by $ 19% to $ 7.46 million and rice exports decreased by 25% to $ 180.8 million.

On the part of imports, cotton imports from Afghanistan more than doubled to $ 167 million, while spice shipments increased almost five times to $ 21.2 million. However, carbon imports decreased by 20% to $ 71.5 million, fruits and nuts decreased by 13% to $ 86.8 million and LPG imports sank to zero.

Once a vital intersection route, Afghanistan’s transit trade via Pakistan is rapidly shrinking, with the forward load (imports to Afghanistan) sinking by 86% and vice versa (exports of Afghan via Pakistan).

The Transit Trade has increased by 6% in March 2025 from February, but on an annual basis is almost two -thirds. Employees attribute the sharp decline in Pakistan’s repression over smuggling and abuse of transit routes.

While bilateral trade numbers show impulse, the sad state of trading marks of deeper geopolitical and logistical tensions.

If current policies remain, Afghanistan can continue to differentiate its trade routes-possibly to Iran and Central Asia-by putting long-term challenges for Pakistan’s strategic transaction, commercial experts believe. In addition, the growing official brands of durability and mutual dependence on official trade.