Afghan transit trade from Karachi has been suspended indefinitely, causing long queues of containers at the port. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has ordered an immediate halt to the movement of Afghan transit cargo from Karachi Port. The decision was made during an important meeting chaired by the Director General of Afghan Transit Trade at the Customs House, Karachi.
After the meeting, the Customs Department issued a general order announcing the suspension of Afghan transit transportation until further notice. The order stated that there is no more space available at the Quetta and Peshawar customs stations for additional containers. Therefore, trucks carrying Afghan cargo were instructed to unload their containers. All transit gate passes have also been cancelled, and transportation has been stopped until new directives are issued.
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Following the order, both Karachi Port and Port Qasim have halted the clearance of Afghan transit trade shipments. This has led to long lines of trucks waiting at the terminals. The suspension has disrupted logistics operations and raised concerns among traders involved in cross-border transport.
Meanwhile, trade activities at the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border remain suspended for the fifth consecutive day due to rising tensions between the two countries. Security along the border has been placed on high alert. Hundreds of cargo vehicles are stranded on both sides, affecting business operations and daily wage workers dependent on border trade.
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Traders and customs clearing agents have urged both governments to resolve the issue through dialogue instead of confrontation. They emphasised that war or hostility will not solve problems and called for peace and cooperation to resume trade and restore livelihoods.