Tehran- IRAF- Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban, said in a statement released today (Tuesday, February 2) that repeated border closures between Afghanistan and Pakistan—particularly during critical agricultural harvest seasons—have caused significant financial losses to Afghan traders and the country’s economy.
Need for a Sustainable Trade Framework
Zabihullah Mujahid stressed the necessity of a clear and transparent commitment from Pakistan, stating:
“Islamabad must guarantee that trade routes will not be closed unilaterally and arbitrarily.”
He emphasized that temporary or short-term border re-openings, in the absence of a clear and stable framework for bilateral trade, cannot lead to economic stability and may instead further disrupt normal commercial activities.
This comes as recent tensions between the two countries have led to the closure of key trade borders—an action that has completely disrupted bilateral trade and regional transit. Despite several rounds of negotiations between the two sides, talks have so far yielded no results, and the borders remain closed.
As a result, millions of dollars in losses have been inflicted on traders in both countries. In Pakistan, border chambers of commerce and industry have repeatedly called for the immediate reopening of the borders and the resumption of trade.
Meanwhile, despite Afghanistan’s heavy reliance on limited export routes and the substantial financial losses incurred, the Taliban are reportedly seeking alternative trade routes outside of Pakistan in an effort to reduce this dependency.
