Afghanistan-Pakistan trade slips to USD 1.1 billion in first half of 2025
Afghanistan-Pakistan trade slips to USD 1.1 billion in first half of 2025
Bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan experienced a slight decline in the first half of the year, highlighting ongoing structural vulnerabilities despite their status as key regional partners. Persistent border closures, customs tariffs, and transit restrictions by Pakistan continue to disrupt the flow of essential goods, undermining efforts to stabilize economic exchanges. Experts and business leaders emphasize that strengthening these economic ties is crucial for Afghanistan’s development, particularly due its heavy reliance on Pakistani transit routes for access to international markets. They argue that political differences should not hinder cooperation, as leveraging ports like Karachi and Gwadar could mutually benefit both nations through increased trade volumes. This report is relevant to open data because it underscores the importance of transparent, accessible trade statistics for informing policy and advocacy. Reliable data on bilateral commerce enables stakeholders to identify bottlenecks, hold governments accountable for trade barriers, and support evidence-based strategies to foster regional economic integration and stability.
Source: news.webindia123.comPublished on 2025-10-02