Afghanistan Times
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Kabul: The State Bank of Pakistan has reported a more than seven percent decline in Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan over the past eight months. Pakistani media, citing the State Bank, also note a significant 59 percent decrease in the country’s imports from Afghanistan during the same period. According to a report in Pakistan’s national newspaper, China leads among Pakistan’s neighboring countries in exports, with Bangladesh and Afghanistan following closely behind. The report details the decline in exports to Afghanistan from $346 million to $319 million, with imports dropping from $13.54 million to $5.44 million.
Maiwand Hotak, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, emphasizes the importance of resolving any emerging issues concerning ports and passages with Pakistan promptly.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce reports a 24 percent decrease in exports to Pakistan and a 30 percent increase in imports from Pakistan over the past year. Akhandzada Abdul Salam Javad, spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, highlights the trade volume between Afghanistan and Pakistan during the year 1402, with exports totaling $926 million and imports reaching $1.517 billion.
The Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce has urged Islamabad to extend the Karachi railway to Peshawar to facilitate and reduce the cost of goods transfer between the two countries. Naqibullah Safi, head of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, anticipates a decrease in transportation costs with the launch of this railway, benefiting traders on both sides. The chamber also seeks permission in Karachi for Afghan transit goods to be transferred to other containers and transported via rail to Torkham. These developments coincide with border tensions and forced deportations of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, cited as primary reasons for the decline in trade between the two countries over the past year.
