Junaid Altaf, President of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), has warned that the prolonged closure of Afghanistan ports is inflicting massive financial losses on traders and severely disrupting bilateral and transit trade.

Speaking during an executive committee meeting of the SCCI, chaired by him, Junaid Altaf said more than 12,000 containers linked to Pak-Afghan and transit trade are currently stranded at Karachi Port, forcing traders to bear heavy demurrage and detention charges. He added that the situation has exhausted the liquidity of clearing agents and bonded carriers, while foreign shipping lines continue to accumulate charges.

The meeting was attended by senior office-bearers, executive committee members, traders, industrialists, importers and exporters, who discussed in detail the continued closure of the crossings. Participants unanimously expressed concern over the adverse impact of the shutdown on trade and employment.

Traders noted that the prolonged closure has disrupted perishable exports, increased unemployment and caused serious socio-economic hardship for communities near the Durand Line that depend heavily on trade. According to stakeholders, millions of dollars are being lost daily due to container detention, while billions of rupees remain blocked in bank guarantees and container security deposits.

The forum emphasized that the issue should be resolved through dialogue, urging authorities on both sides to resume bilateral and transit trade to prevent further economic damage. While acknowledging the gravity of internal and external security challenges, the executive committee maintained that there would be no compromise on national security and peace.

However, the SCCI stressed that reopening trade routes is crucial for economic stability, growth and the continuity of business, commercial and industrial activities. The forum called on relevant authorities to address the matter on a priority basis and find a sustainable solution through negotiations.

Trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan remains suspended since clashes between the two countries on October 11 last year.

Afghanistan’s total trade volume reached nearly $14 billion in 2025, marking an increase from the previous year despite ongoing challenges, including the temporary closure of key trade routes, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said.

According to ministry figures, total trade in 2025 stood at $13.932 billion, made up of $1.807 billion in exports and $12.125 billion in imports. Officials said trade activity not only remained resilient but also expanded compared with 2024.

The ministry reported that Afghanistan’s main export destinations included India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkey, China, Iraq, and Tajikistan. Key export products ranged from agricultural and dried goods—such as figs, raisins, saffron, pistachios, almonds, dried apricots, apples, grapes, and pomegranates—to coal, cotton, carpets and kilims, mineral stones, and black pine nuts.

On the import side, Afghanistan’s primary trading partners in 2025 were Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, China, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and India, the ministry said. Major imports included fuel, flour and wheat, machinery and vehicle parts, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, vegetable oils, cement, rice, sugar, dairy products, industrial raw materials, and clothing.

For comparison, the ministry noted that Afghanistan’s total trade volume in 2024 was $12.422 billion, with $1.803 billion in exports and $10.619 billion in imports.

Officials said the increase in trade volume reflects relative stability in commercial activity and continued efforts to maintain and expand Afghanistan’s economic ties with regional and international partners.

In an effort to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation, an official Iranian delegation led by Seyed Malek Hosseini, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare, has travelled to Kabul.

According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Iranian delegation met with Abdul Manan Omari, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral labor relations, regulating and facilitating the exchange of workforce, expanding technical and vocational training programs, and ensuring the rights of Afghan workers residing in Iran.

Meanwhile, officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock held separate meetings in Iran with the deputy minister for water and soil at Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture. The talks centered on the exchange of technical expertise in water management, conservation of water resources, and the use of modern irrigation systems, including drip and sprinkler irrigation technologies.

Afghan officials also emphasized that Afghanistan is prepared to provide the necessary facilities and incentives to encourage private sector investment from Iran in the agricultural sector—an initiative seen as vital for boosting agricultural production and improving water resource management in the country.

Observers say Kabul and Tehran are currently seeking to deepen economic and technical cooperation. While some analysts link this trend to recent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iranian officials have stressed that the expansion of relations with Afghanistan is being pursued independently of recent regional developments.

These diplomatic and technical engagements indicate that Afghanistan and Iran are moving toward more practical and targeted cooperation, covering key areas such as labor and human resources, agriculture, investment, and water management.