PESHAWAR: Afghanistan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on Thursday that Kabul would reopen its trade routes with Pakistan only after it receives “strong assurances” from Islamabad that they would not be closed in future to exert “political pressure” on it, as tensions persist between the two countries.
The development takes place days after Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry issued a letter saying it has authorized the movement of United Nations humanitarian cargo into Afghanistan through the Torkham and Chaman border crossings after nearly 50 days of disruption.
Pakistan closed its border crossings with landlocked Afghanistan after armed clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces in October, which stalled the movement of people and goods, including relief shipments. Afghanistan’s reliance on Pakistani ports has long given Islamabad leverage to press Kabul over Pakistani militants it alleges shelter across the border, which Kabul denies.
“The trade routes will be reopened only when strong assurances are received from the Government of Pakistan,” Mujahid wrote on social media platform X.
“So that in the future these routes are not closed for political pressure, unlawful use or to coerce the people, and so that the rights of traders and citizens of both countries remain protected,” he added.
