Overview
- Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar issued a three-month deadline for Afghan businesses to stop using Pakistan routes and warned the government will not assist those who continue.
- All Pakistani pharmaceutical imports are banned now, with the purchase and sale of Pakistani medicines to be prohibited in Afghanistan after three months.
- Key crossings including Torkham, Chaman and Spin Boldak have been shut to commercial traffic for more than a month, leaving containers stranded and perishable goods returned.
- Trade losses are mounting, with the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber confirming combined losses above $100 million and Acting Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi estimating about $200 million lost each month.
- Efforts mediated in Istanbul by Qatar and Turkey collapsed, as Pakistan presses for written guarantees against TTP activity and Afghan officials reject demands they describe as inappropriate.