PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said over 10,000 Pak-Afghan and Transit Trade trucks have stuck at Karachi seaport due to the prolonged border that had caused massive financial losses to both side traders.
The SCCI urged government and relevant authorities to promptly resolve border issues and allow a one-time clearance of transit cargo to Afghanistan and Central Asia to prevent traders from further monetary loss and waive of demurrage charges as well.
Junaid Altaf, President of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a statement issued here on Monday informed from 10,000 to 12, 000 Pak-Afghan and transit trade containers have stuck at Karachi port, while thousands of containers of traders from the both countries, especially those laden with perishable items had also stranded at Ghulam, Spin Boldak, Kharlachi and Torkham border, inflicting massive financial loss to trading community owing damaged of the food and perishable items.
He went on to say that the closure has disrupted perishable exports, raised unemployment, and inflicted severe socio-economic hardship on border communities dependent on cross-border trade, emphasizing to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and this issue must be addressed on priority grounds.
Furthermore, he informed that stakeholders report losses of millions of dollars per day from container detention and billions blocked in bank guarantees and container security deposits.
The liquidity of clearing agents and bonded carriers has been exhausted, while foreign shipping lines continue to accrue charges.
President Junaid Altaf and Shahid Hussain continued to say that vagueness about allowing Afghan Transit Trade containers has created great unrest among the traders, besides it had also adversely affected Pakistan’s relations with many countries from where the cargo has been exported.
The SCCI chief urged the Ministry of Commerce to provide options for Afghan commercial transit cargo (All containers) as were given to the stranded cargo of Central Asian Republics transit cargo.
Pakistan’s trade with the five Central Asian countries (CACs) weakened during July–October FY26, according to which imports plunged 63.59pc to $15.80m from $43.39m, said President Junaid Altaf while sharing the official figures.
SCCI chief said according to official data, the decline underscores that Pakistan’s trade with the region—estimated at $400–500m annually via Afghanistan—remains well below its potential despite frequent high-level engagements.
President Junaid Altaf said the estimates from 50 to 60 million dollars of the current peak season of medicine, cement, and kinnow had been completely vanished and per day loss of bilateral trade has touched to $5million.
