ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Pakistan has resumed the Afghan Transit Trade after the Islamabad-Afghan Taliban government in Doha, Qatar, came to an understanding of an immediate ceasefire.
The trade route had been halted on October 13, 2025, after violent unrest and security tensions on the Pak-Afghan border.
Transit operations have now resumed from the Chaman crossing point, officials said. The Directorate of Transit Trade issued a comprehensive order on Wednesday, detailing how full cargo movement would be restored.
The order elaborated that transit operations would restart progressively on a first-in-first-out basis following clearance of the stranded consignments’ backlog.
As many as about 300 vehicles had been stuck at different points along the route.
In phase one, nine vehicles that were pushed back from the Friendship Gate will be attended to. Each truck will be re-weighed and scanned, and any anomaly will be followed by a complete physical examination at the NLC Border Terminal.
Phase two is dealing with 74 vehicles pushed back from the terminal yard in Chaman. They will pass through the same verification process.
In the third phase, 217 vehicles stationed in the Halting Yard will be cleared for transit movement after all checks have been made
Authorities stated pictures of all vehicles traveling back into Afghanistan will be taken and stored for documentation and surveillance.
The reopening of transit trade is likely to provide relief to traders and transporters who had been making financial losses during the closure.
The Chaman border continues to be one of the most critical trade arteries for Pakistan and Afghanistan. It clears thousands of tonnes of commodities each week, ranging from food and fuel to building materials.
Security regulations have also been strengthened to ensure all shipping passes through rigorous screening before it is cleared.
