KABUL: Pakistani media have reported that the ongoing closure of border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan has put dozens of trucks carrying medicines from traders at risk of destruction.
The Dawn newspaper noted that industrial sources in Pakistan have indicated that the total value of the halted trucks is around $200 million. If the crossings at Torkham and Chaman remain closed, temperature-sensitive medicines will spoil.
The report stated that currently, the entire trade of medicines with Afghanistan has come to a standstill, and the spoilage of existing pharmaceuticals would be a significant blow to Pakistani traders, who cannot bear this loss.
Tawqeerul Haq from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Pakistan commented that the frequent closures of crossings have become such a recurring issue that they pose a structural threat, forcing countries that have invested in this trade to consider more predictable alternatives. The effects on Pakistan’s pharmaceutical production sector are already severe.
According to the report, containers carrying antibiotics, insulin, vaccines, cardiovascular medications, and other essential medicines are stuck at crossings and dry ports.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan has begun importing medicines through alternative countries and routes, with efforts ongoing to invest in this sector domestically.