KARACHI:
Pakistani truck drivers transporting goods to Afghanistan face an uncertain situation amid ongoing tensions between the two countries, with hundreds of vehicles stopped at border crossings where drivers have been stranded for weeks.
Exporters and logistics operators said the closure of major crossing points between Pakistan and Afghanistan has crippled the regional movement of goods, adding that many stranded drivers have exhausted their cash and basic supplies, raising concerns over their safety and survival.
Junaid Makda, president of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, told The Express PK Press Club that exporters, transporters and logistics companies in Kinnow were hit hard because shipments destined for markets in Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia were blocked at the border.
Border crossings between the two countries have remained closed since October 11 following clashes – the worst fighting since the Taliban took Kabul in 2021 – sparked after Kabul failed to respond to Islamabad’s demand to deny terrorists the use of Afghan soil.
Makda said the suspension of trade had created a crisis on the Pakistani side, where hundreds of drivers were confined to border points without access to basic necessities. He warned that the disruption occurred at a time when kinnow exports typically reach their seasonal peak.
The Common House Speaker said the situation worsened after the State Bank of Pakistan rejected a request to exempt kinnow exports to Iran and Central Asian states, via Iran, from financial instrument requirements.
Pakistan exported kinnow worth $110 million last year, with the estimate for this year being put at $100 million. Makda said exporters were unable to route their shipments to traditional regional markets, putting farmers, supply chain workers and exporters in a difficult situation.
He said thousands of containers carrying bilateral, transit and Central Asian goods were stuck across Pakistan, including shipments to Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Carriers and clearing agents, he added, had to pay daily demurrage charges ranging from $150 to $200 per container.
Makda urged authorities to announce an immediate removal of all demurrage and detention charges, saying traders and operators were already facing serious financial pressures. He said the prolonged closure had inflicted substantial losses on all stakeholders.
