The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reported a 3.63% increase in exports to Afghanistan during the first six months of the 2023-2024 fiscal year, compared to the same period last fiscal year.
Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan totaled $260.716 million from July to December 2023-24, up from $251.580 million in the same period of 2022-23, according to the SBP.
Afghanistan serves as a key route for Pakistan’s trade with Central Asian nations. The primary trade crossings are Torkham in the east, Spin Boldak in the south, and Ghulam Khan in the southeast.
Recent tensions and blockages along the Durand Line, especially at these crossings, have impeded trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
However, year-over-year data from the SBP shows a 26.83% decrease in exports to Afghanistan, from $38.297 million in December 2022 to $28.019 million in December 2023. There was also a 46.02% month-on-month decline in December 2023 compared to $51.911 million in November 2023.
In mid-January, disagreements over documentation and rules for commercial vehicles resulted in thousands of trucks being stranded at the border between the two countries.
