Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has urged Afghan traders to seek new trade routes and reduce reliance on Pakistan, warning that the Islamic Emirate will no longer assist those who continue to face losses due to border closures and political tensions.
Speaking at a meeting with industrialists and traders in Kabul, Baradar said repeated disruptions along the Pakistan border had inflicted economic damage on Afghanistan and its business community.
“We have shown enough patience and tolerance in our trade relations with Pakistan,” he said. “But when a country repeatedly shuts down border crossings, we must consider alternatives in our national interest.”
Baradar said traders who continue to import or export goods through Pakistan despite repeated warnings would do so at their own risk. “After this notice, if anyone continues to trade with Pakistan, the Islamic Emirate will not cooperate with or listen to such traders,” he warned.
He criticized the quality of Pakistani imports, particularly medicines, and instructed importers to end contracts within three months. “Our health sector’s main problem is the import of low-quality medicines from Pakistan,” he said. “All medicine importers are strongly urged to find alternative supply routes immediately.”
Baradar added that Afghanistan now has access to alternative corridors for trade and that its economic partnerships with regional countries had expanded significantly. “The Islamic Emirate is working to establish new trade corridors for regional and global connectivity and to upgrade existing routes,” he said.
He accused Pakistan of using trade restrictions and refugee expulsions as political tools. “Afghanistan is often targeted with political pressure, and trade relations are being used for irrational motives,” he said, adding that “no one can deny that all countries are interdependent when it comes to trade.”
The remarks come amid deepening tensions between Kabul and Islamabad over cross-border militancy, refugee expulsions, and the collapse of recent peace talks. Analysts say the development signals that relations between the two neighbouring countries have deteriorated to a point where reconciliation appears increasingly unlikely in the foreseeable future.