Several Afghan traders say the Taliban have set a three-month deadline to establish alternative trade routes to replace commerce with Pakistan.
Speaking on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, the traders said the Taliban officially announced that they would no longer support trade with Pakistan following recent border tensions between the two sides.
According to the traders, the decision applies to all imports and exports involving Pakistan, and businesses in Afghanistan must find alternative trade corridors within the given timeframe.
The Taliban have identified several potential alternative routes, including the Wakhan Corridor, and regional energy and transit projects such as TAPI and CASA-1000, a regional electricity transmission initiative.
Other proposed alternatives include rail connections from northern to southern and southwestern Afghanistan, linking Central Asia with South Asia to reduce reliance on Pakistan’s trade routes.
According to the Taliban, these new routes are expected to promote sustainable economic growth, balance the country’s trade deficit, and strengthen Afghanistan’s economy.
Meanwhile, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, has reiterated that Pakistani goods will no longer be allowed to enter Afghanistan.
