KARACHI:
Pakistani truckers transporting cargo to Afghanistan face an uncertain situation amid ongoing tensions between the two countries, with hundreds of vehicles stopped at border crossings where drivers remain stranded for weeks.
Exporters and logistics operators said the closure of major crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan has paralyzed regional cargo movement, adding that many stranded drivers have exhausted their cash and basic supplies, raising concerns about their safety and survival.
Junaid Makda, president of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, told The Express PAkGazette that well-known exporters, transporters and logistics companies had been hit hard as shipments destined for Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asian markets were stuck at the border.
Border crossings between the two countries have remained closed since October 11 following clashes, the worst fighting since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021, triggered 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 at border points without access to essentials. It warned that the disruption had come at a time when Kinnow exports were normally at their seasonal peak.
The joint chamber chairman said the situation worsened after the State Bank of Pakistan rejected a request to exempt Kinnow exports to Iran and Central Asian states, through Iran, from financial instrument requirements.
Pakistan exported kinnow worth $110 million last year, and the estimate for this year is projected at $100 million. Makda said exporters had been unable to send shipments to traditional regional markets, putting farmers, supply chain workers and exporters under serious pressure.
It said thousands of containers carrying bilateral, transit and Central Asian cargo were stuck across Pakistan, including shipments bound for Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Carriers and shipping agents, he added, incurred daily demurrage costs of between $150 and $200 per container.
Makda urged authorities to announce an immediate waiver of all demurrage and detention charges, saying traders and operators were already facing severe financial pressure. He said the prolonged closure had caused substantial losses to all stakeholders.
