The continued closure of Afghan-Pakistani border crossings over the past 10 to 11 months has caused severe economic losses to both countries. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported that traders are under intense financial and psychological pressure.
Zia ul-Haq Sarhadi, senior vice president of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, said Pakistan used to export around $1.5 billion worth of goods annually to Afghanistan, and has lost nearly $1 billion from this sector in the past 10 months. Pakistan's exports to Central Asia via Afghanistan have also dropped by approximately $225 million.
Afghanistan has not been spared either; Afghan exports to India via the Wagah crossing have declined by nearly $200 million over the past 10 months. The crisis has left millions unemployed and drastically reduced customs revenues for both countries.
#Trade #Pakistan #Afghanistan #Border #Economy
