Taliban’s Trade Demands: Baradar Calls for Guarantees from Pakistan

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy economic chief of the Taliban government, stated in a meeting with traders and industrialists in Kabul that trade routes with Pakistan will only be reopened once Islamabad provides a written guarantee that it will not block these routes under any circumstances.

Import Halt and Search for Alternatives

Baradar’s firm stance comes amid a month-long closure of border crossings by Islamabad, prompted by rising tensions and clashes between the two sides. The deputy chief urged traders and industrialists to explore alternative trade routes and reduce reliance on Pakistan, citing the instability in commercial relations. Furthermore, he announced a significant commercial directive that halts the import of medicines from Pakistan, giving importers a three-month grace period to settle accounts with Pakistani traders if they have active contracts, and to seek other sources for their imports. So far, Pakistan has not commented on Baradar’s explicit statements on this matter. It is noteworthy that the third round of talks between the Taliban and Pakistan, held last Friday in Istanbul, Turkey, ended without resolution, with both parties blaming each other for the lack of progress in negotiations. The Taliban’s new condition for reopening the border and halting drug imports is seen as a diplomatic aftershock from this failure.