Taliban Orders Afghan Traders to End Reliance on Pakistan Within Three Months

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has delivered an unprecedented economic ultimatum to its traders, demanding a complete cessation of reliance on Pakistan’s transit routes within three months, as declared by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar during a press conference in Kabul on November 12, 2025. Baradar, a founding member of the Taliban and architect of its 2021 return to power, framed the directive as a matter of national dignity, accusing Pakistan of repeatedly weaponising border closures to exert political pressure. “We will no longer tolerate the humiliation of our trade being held hostage,” he stated, instructing merchants to redirect all imports and exports through alternative corridors in Central Asia, Iran, China, and Turkey.

The policy targets Pakistan’s longstanding role as Afghanistan’s primary gateway to global markets, particularly via the Karachi port, which handles over 80% of Afghan transit trade. Baradar explicitly banned the import of medicines from Pakistan after the deadline, ordering the Ministry of Finance to refuse taxation, customs clearance, or any facilitation for such goods. “Every pill, every syringe that enters Afghanistan must now come from a source that respects our sovereignty,” he asserted. Traders have been given 90 days to settle existing contracts, clear inventories, and establish new supply chains, with no government support promised for losses incurred from continued dealings with Pakistan.

The decision follows the closure of key border crossings like Torkham, Chaman, and Angoor Adda since October 11, 2025, after clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani troops left dozens dead and hundreds of trucks stranded. Perishable goods—Afghan grapes, pomegranates, and Pakistani onions, tomatoes, and citrus—have rotted in the sun, with losses estimated in the tens of millions. Bilateral trade, valued at $2.5 billion annually, includes Pakistani exports of cement, textiles, flour, steel, and pharmaceuticals in exchange for Afghan coal, soapstone, dry fruits, and fresh produce. The Taliban’s move threatens to collapse this ecosystem, pushing Afghanistan toward untested alternatives like Iran’s Chabahar port and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s northern extensions.

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In Pakistan, the fallout has been immediate and severe. The All Pakistan Markets Federation reported that over 1,500 trucks remain stuck at the border, rendering thousands of labourers jobless and causing daily losses of $10 million in spoilt cargo. Federation president Malik Sohni urged Islamabad to reopen routes, noting, “Even warring nations keep trade alive for their people’s survival.” Pakistani cement and pharmaceutical exporters, who supply 70% of Afghanistan’s drug market, face bankruptcy risks, while Afghan coal miners and fruit growers lose their largest buyer overnight.

The Taliban’s gamble hinges on accelerated infrastructure development with neighbours. Preliminary agreements with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan aim to boost rail and road links via the Trans-Afghan Railway, while Iran has offered expanded capacity at Chabahar. China has expressed interest in routing Afghan minerals through its Belt and Road corridors. However, these alternatives remain years from full operationality, and costs are projected to rise 20–30% due to longer distances and underdeveloped logistics. Humanitarian agencies warn of impending medicine shortages, particularly for chronic disease treatments, in a country already facing acute malnutrition and a collapsed healthcare system.

As the three-month clock ticks, Afghanistan stands at a crossroads between ideological defiance and economic pragmatism. Baradar’s address, delivered with the authority of a man who once negotiated the Doha Accords, signals the Taliban’s willingness to endure short-term pain for long-term autonomy. Yet, with winter approaching and border tensions showing no signs of de-escalation, the directive risks deepening isolation for a regime still seeking international legitimacy. For now, traders on both sides of the Durand Line brace for a seismic shift—one that could redefine South Asia’s economic map or plunge two fragile neighbours into a deeper crisis.

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