KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan dropped 40% in 2025, declining from $2.461 billion in 2024 to $1.766 billion, Taliban authorities say, as trade remains halted following deadly clashes in October.
Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said in a video message on Saturday that Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan dropped from $817 million in 2024 to $505 million in 2025.
Afghanistan’s imports from Pakistan also fell, from $1.644 billion in 2024 to $1.261 billion in 2025, according to Jawad. Overall, trade between the two countries decreased by $695 million compared with the previous year.
Pakistan closed all border points with Afghanistan after a week-long clash between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters in October 2025. Following the closure, Taliban authorities ordered Afghan traders to seek alternative routes for exporting and importing goods and essential supplies, including medicine.
The two countries share several major trade routes that are vital for the movement of food, fuel, and consumer goods, particularly for landlocked Afghanistan.
The prolonged closure has disrupted supply chains, causing significant losses for traders on both sides and driving up prices in local markets. Afghan traders previously reported daily losses of at least $2.5 million, while Pakistani media cited export and import losses of $45 million and $59 million, respectively, as of early November.
Last week, traders from both countries agreed to establish a joint committee to explore ways to reopen the borders. Pakistan’s foreign ministry, however, has said crossings will remain closed until the Taliban provide written assurances to prevent militant attacks and take action against the Pakistani Taliban, also known as TTP.
