Overview
- Deputy PM Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar told businesses to stop using Pakistan for imports and exports within three months, warning the government will not assist traders who ignore the shift.
- Afghanistan announced a complete ban on imports of Pakistani medicines to take effect within three months, citing quality concerns and urging suppliers to switch sources.
- Major crossings, including Torkham and Chaman, have been closed to commercial traffic since early October, with thousands of containers stranded and combined trader losses reported above $100 million.
- Acting commerce minister Nooruddin Azizi estimated Afghanistan is losing nearly $200 million each month and pressed for rerouting through Iran and Central Asian corridors despite higher costs and constraints.
- Mediation led by Türkiye and Qatar in Istanbul failed to produce an agreement, while Pakistan limited processing at borders and moved to facilitate select workarounds such as Uzbek airlifts and container reroutes via China.