ISLAMABAD (Rizwan Abbasi): Pakistan’s strict anti-smuggling measures and partial border closure have had a profound impact on Afghanistan’s trade.
According to trade sources, Afghan transit trade in October 2025 saw a 79 percent decline on a monthly basis, while its volume in October decreased by 78 percent on an annual basis.
Afghan transit trade has also been reported to have declined by 10 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year. The volume of Afghan transit trade during July-October 2025 was $336.6 million, compared to $372.1 million in the same period last year. Only $22.6 million was transited in October 2025, while the volume was $102.4 million in October 2024.
The total Afghan transit trade in September 2025 was $108.2 million. According to trade sources, Afghan transit trade has seen a steady decline over the past two fiscal years, and Afghan transit trade via Pakistan has declined by $6.7 billion in the past two years.
Pakistan’s anti-smuggling measures and border controls are having a direct impact on Afghan trade volumes, and this situation could have a significant impact on the economies of both countries.
