Pakistan has stopped an attempt to import Afghan-origin fresh fruits routed through Iran, as more than 5,500 Afghanistan-bound transit containers remain stranded due to the closure of international borders.
The growing backlog of Afghanistan-bound cargo inside Pakistan highlights Kabul's reliance on Pakistani corridors, even as it attempts to diversify trade routes. Afghan exporters of perishable goods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and dry fruits depend on short-distance transport to Pakistani markets. Longer diversion routes increase transit times, raise spoilage risks, and strain cold chain capacity.
To support regional transit flows, Pakistan has decided to allow Uzbekistan to airlift five cargoes and reroute 29 containers through China under the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods. Government sources say the remaining procedural steps are being completed to facilitate movement.
Customs officials reported that the attempted import occurred on November 8, when an importer presented a 23 metric ton shipment of fresh fruits at the Taftan post, claiming benefits under the Early Harvest Program announced in July. Documentation included an import permit, invoices, bills of lading, export declarations, and phytosanitary certificates confirming Afghan origin. Customs authorities rejected the consignment, stating that the program is bilateral and reciprocal and does not apply because Pakistan-Afghanistan trade remains suspended due to closed borders. Officials also cited the risk that Afghan-origin labels could be used to disguise Iranian produce, given that both countries ship similar crops such as grapes and apples.
Last fiscal year, Pakistan exported US$1.1 billion in goods to Afghanistan, compared to US$600 million in imports.
According to officials, the Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement remains in place, but goods clearance has been slowed to prevent congestion at the Chaman and Torkham borders. There are currently 729 containers stranded at Chaman and 142 at Torkham. An additional 4,650 containers are stuck at sea and land ports after customs halted processing.
Alternate routes through Iran or Central Asia are possible but come with higher transport and fuel costs and longer distances. For example, Kandahar and Helmand are 150 to 300 km from Pakistan's Chaman-Spin Boldak border but 1,200 to 1,300 km from Iran's Zaranj or Delaram border crossings. Balkh and Baghlan lie 500 to 700 km from Pakistan's Torkham-Jalalabad border and 900 to 1,000 km from Iran's Islam Qala. Routes via Chabahar Port or through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan may raise transport charges by 30 to 50 per cent. Afghanistan also faces restrictions on formal trade through Iran due to United States sanctions.
Despite these constraints, Pakistan remains the closest and lowest-cost route for Afghan perishables. The suspension of imports has had a limited immediate impact on domestic inflation. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data show the weekly inflation index decreased 0.6 per cent as of November 6, 2025, with tomato prices down 38 per cent, onions down 5 per cent, and garlic down 3.3 per cent.
Source: The Express Tribune
