Afghan transit trade with Pakistan declines by 66pc

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) has witnessed a sharp decline of 66 percent in the first eight months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period in FY2023-24.

This downturn is largely attributed to Pakistan’s anti-smuggling measures and import restrictions, The Nationreported.

Between July and February of FY2024-25, Afghan Transit Trade fell by $1.489 billion compared to the previous year. Data for this period highlights a substantial drop in both forward and reverse cargo.

Forward cargo—comprising goods imported into Afghanistan via Pakistan—plummeted by 67 percent, declining from $2.197 billion in FY2023-24 to just $729 million in FY2024-25.

Meanwhile, reverse cargo, which includes goods exported from Afghanistan, fell by 46 percent, decreasing from $46 million to $25 million.

Overall, the total transit trade volume shrank from $2.243 billion last year to $754 million in the ongoing fiscal year.

On a year-on-year basis, ATT also declined by 7 percent in February 2025, dropping from $82 million to $77 million. Forward cargo in February 2025 saw a 6 percent decline, from $78 million to $73 million, while reverse cargo dropped by 9 percent, from $4.4 million to $4 million.

From July to January of FY2024-25, the transit trade had already declined by 69 percent. However, the rate of decline slowed slightly in February, settling at 66 percent.

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