PESHAWAR: Afghanistan’s economy is edging toward paralysis as the Torkham and Chaman crossings remain shut for nearly two months following intense border clashes and Kabul’s refusal to curb terrorist groups attacking Pakistan from its soil.
The prolonged closure has severed trade routes, inflated prices, and worsened an already dire humanitarian emergency.
With commercial traffic halted, supply chains have collapsed in the landlocked nation, driving up the cost of essential goods. Afghanistan’s major sectors, mining, agriculture, and construction, have been hit hardest.
Pakistan, previously the largest buyer of Afghan coal, importing 12,000 to 14,000 tonnes per day, has suspended all coal purchases. Thousands of tonnes now sit stranded at the frontier.
Citing local reports, Afghan media say the price of a 50 kg cement bag has risen from around $6 to nearly $10.5, crippling the construction industry and leaving daily wage earners without work. Construction is one of Afghanistan’s biggest employers, absorbing an estimated 17% of the male workforce.
Speaking of the difficulties, Afghan journalist Anees Ur Rahman said the sector had been “hit hard by the lack of cement in the market,” noting that authorities were exploring alternative import routes and discussing future domestic production.
“For now, the situation on the ground is that the construction sector continues to suffer,” he said.
Meanwhile, trade disruptions are also hurting manufacturers on the Pakistani side.
Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Peshawar-based industrialist Zahid Shinwari said Afghan dependency on Pakistani imports was significantly higher than official figures suggest. “Most of the iron used in Afghan construction comes from Pakistan, and all of it is at a standstill,” he said.
Shinwari had already suspended his own PVC exports ahead of the closure.
The agricultural sector is facing a similar strain.
Farmers are grappling with a steep rise in fertilizer costs, up about $40 over two years, while the border shutdown has blocked fertilizer imports through Gwadar and cut off Afghan farmers’ main export routes for produce such as onions, grapes, and tomatoes.
Reports from Afghan media say growers, particularly in Herat province, are operating at “barely any profit.”
Subsidies expected by farmers in recent years have not materialized, leaving many unable to cope with soaring input prices. The result, local sources say, is a sector sliding deeper into distress.
The economic downturn is unfolding as Afghanistan confronts a worsening humanitarian situation. According to the World Food Program (WFP), food insecurity and malnutrition are rising sharply, with risks expected to intensify during winter.
The agency warns that malnutrition among women and children could reach levels “not seen in recent years.”
Trade suspension, compounded by what critics describe as Kabul’s disregard for regional security concerns, has further endangered millions who rely on shrinking aid flows. Humanitarian workers caution that vulnerable communities are increasingly exposed to hunger, poverty, and economic isolation.
.jpg)
.jpg)
