Trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan has dropped off sharply this year, reaching its lowest levels in years, said officials from the joint chamber of commerce.

According to chamber officials, the reason for this is the closure of trade routes by Pakistan and administrative challenges regarding the export process of Afghanistan’s goods.

Trade relations between the two countries are also fractured, especially as the closure of trade routes in Pakistan has resulted in major financial losses for fresh produce traders on both sides of the border, officials said.

According to them, hundreds of trucks filled with fruit and vegetables from Afghanistan lost their cargo this year as their goods spoiled due to road closures.

Experts believe that Afghanistan should find new routes and markets for export goods - especially fresh produce, adding that it is clear Islamabad is not taking steps to resolve the issues.

Pakistan however claims Afghan exports dropped by 96 percent against last year and Pakistan exports to Afghanistan declined by 83 percent.

Pakistan’s The Nation reported Monday that this decrease was due to Pakistan’s anti-smuggling efforts and import restrictions.

Officials on Sunday inaugurated construction work of the 252 MVA substation in Kabul’s Tarakhel area and the 220 KV power line project from Chemtala to this substation.

The projects will be implemented by local companies with a total investment of $18.7 million. Once completed, the substation will supply 250,000 residential and business clients with electricity.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Political Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Kabir said that controlling Afghanistan's waters, water supply, production of wind, solar and thermal energy and the development of agriculture are among the priorities of the Islamic Emirate, assuring neighbors that it will not affect them. He also noted that Afghanistan's soil has not been used against any country and the world also wants to engage with the Islamic Emirate.

"The world has recognized that a stable and self-sufficient Afghanistan will be possible only with the Islamic Emirate in power. The Islamic Emirate has proven in practice that no one is harmed from the soil of Afghanistan and today the world is interested in cooperation and engagement with Afghanistan,” he said.

Meanwhile, officials of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) said that two electricity transmission projects of 2,000 megawatts are underway from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

"With the implementation of these projects, 24/7 electricity will be provided to all industrialists, businessmen and residential houses in Kabul,” said Abdul Bari Omar, the head of DABS.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Water, a large water dam in Zabul will soon be commissioned, the construction of Pashdan Dam has been completed and the clearing process for the handover of Shah wa Arus Dam in Kabul is underway.

This dam will provide drinking water to 20,000 families in the city, thousands of hectares of land will be irrigated and 2 megawatts of electricity will be produced.

Acting Minister of Energy and Water Abdul Latif Mansour has met and discussed with the head of Indian company Good Rich Logistic about the handover of the Arghandi 500 KV substation.

According to a statement released by the ministry, Mansour instructed the officials of the ministry to make the necessary preparations for the handover of the substation and transfer of its transformers.

Arghandi substation project is scheduled to be completed within two years, and it will supply electricity to Kabul and 12 provinces.

“The capacity of this line is about 1,000 megawatts of electricity. It can transfer electricity from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan directly to Kabul, and from Kabul it can supply electricity to eastern, southern and even central provinces,” said Amanullah Ghalib, the former head of national power utility Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS).

Experts say the substation will help address shortage of electricity.

“The problem is that a large part of Afghanistan's energy is supplied from neighboring countries, and whenever these countries need energy domestically, they cut off Afghanistan's energy, and houses and factories face a significant shortage of electricity, “Aminullah Ehsaas, an expert on economic affairs, said.

Although Afghanistan has abundant resources for generation of electricity, it imports a large part of its electricity needs from neighboring countries and pays more than 300 million dollars annually to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran and Turkmenistan.