KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban authorities say they have begun enforcing a ban on the import of medicines from Pakistan, starting on Monday (February 9).
The Ministry of Finance announced that the prohibition is now being implemented at all customs points across the country.
Abdul Qayoom Nasir, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Finance, said imports of Pakistani medicines would no longer be allowed through any Afghan border crossings.
The decision follows a week-long armed confrontation between Taliban forces and Pakistan in October last year, after which the Taliban announced plans to halt pharmaceutical imports from Pakistan.
Earlier, Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, had given pharmaceutical traders a three-month deadline to settle their financial accounts with Pakistani companies.
According to the Ministry of Finance, as of 9 February, medicines from Pakistan are no longer subject to customs clearance.
Since the ban came into effect, the cost of medicines and medical treatment in Afghanistan has risen sharply, creating serious challenges for patients, particularly those dependent on essential drugs.
