Islamabad_ After nearly two months of suspended cross-border trade, Pakistan has resumed clearance of humanitarian consignments for Afghanistan, marking the first controlled reopening of transit trade since routine operations were suspended in October.
Customs clearance for exports, imports, and Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) cargos had been completely halted at major border crossings, including Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Kharlachi, and Angoor Adda, since October 12, and at Chaman since October 15.
UN Humanitarian Aid to Move First
An official letter from the government instructed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Directorate General of Transit Trade to allow the movement of consignments belonging to three UN agencies via Chaman and Torkham.
In the first phase, a total of 143 containers will be cleared:
- 67 containers of food aid from the World Food Programme (WFP)
- 74 containers of children’s supplies from UNICEF
- 2 containers of healthcare and family support items from UNFPA
Officials confirmed the move followed instructions from the Foreign Ministry after consultations with the UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan.
Three-Phase Clearance Plan
The cargo movement will proceed in three stages:
- Food shipments
- Medicine and medical equipment
- Education supplies
Further consignments will follow once UN agencies provide updated requirements.
The Directorate General of Transit Trade and FBR are responsible for the clearance and onward transport under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement and ATT rules.
Border Queues and Trade Context
Truck drivers and customs personnel at Chaman and Torkham faced long delays during the closure, with hundreds of vehicles parked along the routes.
Currently, approximately 495 vehicles are queued for border crossing:
- 412 vehicles at Chaman
- 83 vehicles at Torkham
Officials stressed that the reopening applies only to humanitarian ATT cargos and does not signal a restoration of routine trade. Remaining UN cargo lists will be processed in stages once documentation is verified. During the fiscal year 2024–25, Pakistan recorded $1.012 billion in transit trade imports, comprising 42,959 containers.
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