Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
KABUL – India-Afghanistan trade through the Attari-Wagah land corridor has come to a standstill after Pakistan denied passage to Afghan trucks. This move follows India’s decision to close the Attari border for travellers after a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley, which killed 26 people.
Until recently, around 40-45 Afghan trucks carrying dry fruits, apples, and other goods arrived daily at the Attari integrated check post (ICP). However, officials confirm that no Afghan trucks have entered India over the past two days.
“A communication has been received from the Pakistan side that no Afghanistani trucks will be entering India. So the trade is shut and Pakistan has closed it,” said Suraj Handa from the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI), speaking to India Today.
Significantly, only Afghan imports were permitted through this route, as Indian exports to Afghanistan had already been halted. The fresh suspension has impacted not just traders, but also local workers and transporters who relied heavily on port activities.
“More than 1,400 porters work in Attari. With the closure of trade, households are impacted,” said a local porter. Importer Rajdeep Uppal added, “The Indo-Pakistan trade had largely stopped after 2019’s Pulwama attack, and now the flow of Afghan goods has also ceased. The economy will feel the impact, but we respect the government’s decision.”
Karabir Singh, who runs a dhaba near the border, echoed similar concerns, saying the shutdown has cast a gloomy shadow over local businesses that depended on the border trade.
The closure marks a complete halt to goods movement via the Attari-Wagah route, disrupting a crucial trade link between Afghanistan and India.
