RASC News Agency: Officials from the Taliban’s Chamber of Commerce in Nangarhar have reported that the continued closure of the Torkham border crossing is imposing a staggering financial loss of approximately $500,000 per day on Afghanistan’s private sector. The shutdown has left nearly a thousand Afghanistani traders’ trucks stranded along the Durand Line, exacerbating economic distress. According to reports, around 600 trucks carrying fresh produce including apples, apricots, cotton, and raisins remain immobilized at the border, while an additional 600 trucks transporting lemons and vegetables face the same predicament. Prolonged delays, coupled with adverse weather conditions, have resulted in the widespread spoilage of these perishable goods, with some shipments ultimately being returned to Pakistan.
Zalmai Azimi, a prominent businessman and deputy head of the Taliban’s Chamber of Commerce in Nangarhar, emphasized that the crisis primarily affects Afghanistani traders whose shipments remain stuck on the Pakistani side of the border. Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities have acknowledged that a significant portion of the perishable goods has rotted due to the extended blockade, rendering them unfit for consumption. The Torkham border one of the most vital trade arteries between Afghanistan and Pakistan was abruptly sealed eight days ago following the Taliban’s construction of a new checkpoint on Pakistani soil. The resulting trade paralysis has inflicted financial damages exceeding $12 million on Afghanistani businesses, deepening economic hardship in the region.
Despite persistent appeals from Taliban officials for the immediate reopening of the crossing, no tangible progress has been made toward resolving the impasse. So far, negotiations between Pakistani and Taliban authorities have failed to yield any breakthrough, leaving the crisis unresolved and further straining bilateral trade relations.
