Global Rice News

The Torkham border crossing, a crucial trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan, is currently closed due to a disagreement over passport requirements for Afghan drivers. The Taliban, who control the Afghan side of the border, have refused to allow Pakistani trucks to enter Afghanistan unless the Pakistani authorities waive the passport visa condition for Afghan drivers. However, Pakistani officials have insisted that the passport visa requirement is mandatory and has been implemented since Monday.

This closure has had a significant impact on trade activities on both sides of the border. Hundreds of trucks carrying goods and commodities are now stranded at the border, leading to disruptions in trade. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Pakistan is Afghanistan’s largest trading partner, while Afghanistan is Pakistan’s second-largest export market. In 2021, Pakistan exported goods worth $833 million to Afghanistan, with the main exports being rice, vegetable oils, and cement. Afghanistan, on the other hand, exported goods worth $595 million to Pakistan, including raw cotton, coal briquettes, and grapes.

Aside from its economic significance, the Torkham border crossing also serves as a strategic link between South Asia and Central Asia. It connects the Pakistani city of Peshawar with the Afghan city of Jalalabad and has been historically used by Afghan and Turkic caravans, as well as by invading armies of various empires. The Taliban seized control of the border crossing on August 15, 2021, as part of their offensive to overthrow the previous Afghan government. In response, Pakistan temporarily closed the border crossing but later reopened it for humanitarian and trade purposes.

The dispute over passport requirements is not a new issue and has caused the closure of the border crossing in the past, impacting trade and transit trade between the two countries. Unfortunately, the authorities of both Pakistan and Afghanistan have yet to find a resolution through dialogue and cooperation. The United States Institute of Peace suggests that promoting peaceful economic cooperation, improved trade, and transit facilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan could help reduce tensions and foster stability in the region.

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