Business
Spin Boldak land port an ongoing problem for Afghan traders
A number of businessmen in Kandahar province say traders are still facing problems at Spin Boldak crossing as Pakistan officials are stopping trucks carrying commercial goods from entering the country.
Traders say hundreds of vehicles carrying commercial goods have been stopped by Pakistan, most of which are carrying fresh produce.
Local chamber of commerce officials have confirmed this and say the trucks clear Afghansitan’s land port but get stopped at Pakistan’s entry gate.
“Hundreds of our vehicles, … [carrying] grapes, cucumbers, pomegranates and onions, have passed through the [Afghanistan] gate and are stopped at their (Pakistan) customs for five days, and we have documents and evidence in this regard, and they don’t allow our vehicles until they are sure that the goods are spoiled and damaged,” said Mohammad Shafiq, head of Spin Boldak Chamber of Commerce in Kandahar.
Other traders have also complained about the increase in customs tariffs by Pakistan and say that these tariffs are “back-breaking”.
“Recently, the government of Pakistan decided that they want approximately 25 percent of taxes from us, and this is something that is against the international norms,” said Saadullah Torjan, vice president of the Spin Boldak Kandahar Chamber of Commerce
“Yes, Pakistan has caused a lot of problems for Afghans and they (Pakistan) stop the vehicles of traders’ goods for five or even six days,” said Mohammad Idris, a businessman in Kandahar.
Truck drivers also complain about the problems at the land port and say that they wait for several nights before they can deliver their goods.
Mohammad Karim, a driver in Kandahar, says: “The Pakistani side creates problems for us under various pretexts.”
Officials from the Border Commissioner in Spin Boldak meanwhile pointed out that Kabul and Islamabad had agreed to the Spin Boldak gate being open 24 hours a day for commercial goods, but the Pakistani side has not fulfilled this agreement so far.
“Kabul and Islamabad had agreed that the Spin Boldak gate should be active 24 hours [a day] for business, and in this regard, we have talked several times with the Pakistani authorities that the gate should be open 24 hours a day, but the other side has not agreed so far,” said Noorul Baqi Ahmad, the border commissioner at Spin Boldak, Kandahar.
While the authorities of the Islamic Emirate and Pakistan have repeatedly said that they will deal with the problems of traders in the ports between the two countries, on the contrary, the problems of traders are increasing day by day.
Turkmenistan has made “significant progress” on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, said TAPI Pipeline Company Limited CEO Muhammetmyrat Amanov.
“Turkmenistan is making significant progress on the TAPI natural gas pipeline, which will supply 33 billion cubic meters to South Asia annually,” he said.
Speaking at the Turkmen Energy Investment Forum (TEIF 2024) currently being held in Paris, Amanov highlighted that Turkmenistan’s section of the pipeline had been completed and ongoing discussions to advance the project beyond Turkmenistan were in strict alignment with the international standards.
He said the project envisaged environmental sustainability by leveraging natural gas to reduce emissions significantly compared to coal and oil, thereby tackling indoor pollution and enhancing regional air quality.
“In light of the ongoing project developments, Turkmenistan remains committed to upholding the international law, fulfilling its obligations and adhering to international norms and regulations,” he said.
This approach reaffirms Turkmenistan’s dedication to global cooperation and legal integrity in executing the TAPI project.
Looking ahead, the project’s focus is shifting to the Herat Offtake Strategy in Afghanistan, which will play a critical role in environmental protection by reducing air pollution, while also contributing to maintaining public safety, he said.
Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, met with representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs, defense and interior of Malaysia, along with other senior officials, on Wednesday and called on Malaysians to invest in Afghanistan.
The visiting delegation is being led by senior diplomat Dr. Shazelina Zainul Abidin.
According to the IEA’s foreign ministry, the two sides discussed bilateral trade, holding a business communication conference to strengthen trade relations between the two countries, the trade balance between Afghanistan and Malaysia, and creating a market for Afghan products, including carpets, cotton, and minerals.
According to the ministry, at the end of the meeting, the Acting Minister emphasized the increase of investment from regional countries in Afghanistan and called on Malaysian investors to also invest in Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Interior says that Afghanistan has started exporting goods to Turkey via the Herat-Khaf railway line.
In a post on X, the ministry said: “Afghanistan’s exports to Turkey started in a calm atmosphere through the Herat-Khaf railway line.”
The ministry added that one train will run daily for a month and then two trains will run daily.
According to the ministry, the security of Khaf-Herat railway line is provided by the guards of the National Public Protection Agency.
Khaf-Herat railway project not only connects Iran and Afghanistan by rail, but also completes a 2,000-kilometer route along the east-west rail corridor from China, through Uzbekistan, to Afghanistan, to Iran, and on to Turkey and Europe.
As a landlocked country, this railway network will provide a safe route to connect with Europe via Iran’s railway network and Iran’s southern ports.
This railway line is strategic for trade between Iran and Afghanistan and will allow six million tons of goods to be sent between the two countries.
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