Pakistan has temporarily exempted Afghanistan’s imports from presenting a certificate of origin, a move that could ease congestion at the Torkham border crossing, according to Pakistani customs officials cited by local media.
The exemption, which will remain in effect until June 30, applies to a range of goods including cotton, beans, coal and talc. The policy shift comes after 667 Afghan trucks were stranded at Torkham due to missing documentation. Under the new arrangement, the shipments may now be cleared upon submission of a written undertaking in lieu of the origin certificate.
The measure is expected to ease trade flows between the two countries, which have frequently been disrupted by bureaucratic and logistical hurdles.
U.N. Warns of Worsening Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan
As senior officials meet this week in Brussels to discuss the future of Afghanistan, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued a warning about the country’s escalating humanitarian needs.
In a statement posted on social media, OCHA said widespread funding shortages have forced the suspension of key aid programs and halted the delivery of essential services. The agency urged international donors to maintain—and if possible, increase—their support for the Afghan people.
“The humanitarian needs remain severe, and the consequences of inaction could be devastating,” the agency stated.
Taliban-run Central Bank said Sunday that it has eased restrictions on individual and corporate bank withdrawals.
Individuals can now withdraw up to 350,000 afghanis (approximately $4,000) per week from personal accounts. Accounts with balances below 2 million afghanis will no longer be subject to weekly caps, the bank said.
Withdrawal limits on corporate accounts have also been relaxed, although the central bank did not specify the new thresholds. The policy is aimed at improving liquidity and restoring public confidence in the banking system amid ongoing economic challenges.
