Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to reopen Angoor Adda crossing to boost trade

Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached an understanding to reopen the Angoor Adda border crossing in South Waziristan, a key trade route between the two countries that has remained closed for nearly two years.

According to official sources, Pakistan has linked the reopening to the completion of essential infrastructure by the National Logistics Corporation (NLC), which is responsible for operationalizing the border terminal.

Islamabad has proposed that the crossing be opened by August 14, 2025, but if construction is not completed by then, the target date would shift to August 31, 2025, contingent on NLC readiness.

The decision was made during a three-day visit to Islamabad by a high-level Afghan delegation led by Mawlawi Ahmadullah Zahid, Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce. The delegation held bilateral talks from July 21 to 23, 2025, focusing on trade and transit cooperation.

Angoor Adda is regarded as a strategically significant crossing for trade and movement between the two countries. Its reopening is expected to revitalize commerce and provide a new channel for Afghan exports.

During the discussions, the Afghan side also raised the issue of blockage of its exports to India via Pakistan, citing provisions of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) 2010, which allows Afghan goods to be transported through Pakistan to third countries, including India, via the Wagah border.

The Afghan delegation noted that since May 2025, Pakistan has stopped permitting Afghan consignments to cross into India. In response, Pakistani officials stated that, due to heightened tensions with New Delhi, Islamabad has suspended third-country trade with India through its territory.