Business
USAID facilitates trade between Pakistan and Uzbekistan via Afghanistan

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with TCS Logistics in Pakistan, has successfully carried out a trial shipment of herbal medicines to Uzbekistan, from Karachi in Pakistan, via Afghanistan.
The shipment left Karachi on April 29 and arrived in Tashkent on Tuesday, the US Embassy in Uzbekistan said in a statement.
The pilot shipment was inline with the Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) Convention, a customs agreement that facilitates the international transport of goods.
The pilot is the first in a series of five planned trial runs to the countries of Central Asia through Afghanistan and China aimed at testing the viability of various routes for international transit to Central Asia and beyond under the TIR Convention.
The successful execution of the first pilot to Tashkent will build confidence among traders and transport operators from both sides to adopt TIR for cross border trade and transit and boost regional trade integration and connectivity, the statement read.
Officials at the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Trade said Thursday that for the first time, a commercial shipment of Pakistani health products arrived in Uzbekistan from Afghanistan in accordance with the TIR.
According to officials this is also in line with the Afghan government’s attempts to improve relations with neighboring countries.
Members of Afghanistan’s private sector have welcomed the move, calling for stronger trade ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
They express the hope that they will be able to transport their commercial goods to Central Asia through the TIR system.
Technical and financial support for the initiative has been provided by USAID through its Pakistan Regional Economic Integration activity in support of its ongoing assistance to Pakistan for streamlining TIR operations to enhance trade connectivity.
Additional support in destination countries for the execution of these pilots is being provided by the Competitiveness, Trade, and Jobs, another USAID-funded activity in Central Asia.
TCS Logistics is a leading Pakistani company providing courier, logistics and e-commerce services to the corporate sector, SMEs, and individual households both nationally and internationally.
It is the only logistics operator to date that has been licensed to carry out TIR operations by the Pakistan National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce under the authorization of the International Road Transport Union.
The TIR Convention was signed in 1975 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
Pakistan acceded to the TIR Convention on July 24, 2015 and was declared as a ‘TIR operational country’ by the IRU on April 19, 2018. TIR is widely used for international transit of goods in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and is being rapidly adopted in Afghanistan and Central Asian countries which are all contracting parties to the Convention, the US Embassy stated.
Business
Pakistan appoints 26 new jirga members for border crisis talks in Afghanistan
Customs sources have said trade suspension is causing an estimated daily loss of $3 million in bilateral trade

The Pakistani authorities have appointed a new 26-member jirga to hold further talks in Afghanistan over reopening Torkham border after the first round of talks hit a stalemate last week.
Torkham crossing was closed almost a month ago when Pakistan border officials opposed the reconstruction and renovation of a security check post on the Afghan side.
Sources told Pakistan’s Dawn news outlet that the new jirga would consist of 26 members, including experienced and influential tribal elders and local traders who are mostly members of Khyber Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The source told Dawn talks could resume today, Monday March 17.
Torkham, a key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the Khyber District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, remained closed for the 24th day on Monday amid rising concerns among traders of both countries who have suffered enormous losses due to the closure.
The crossing was closed on February 21 after escalation of tensions between the border forces on both sides. During subsequent exchanges of fire, three Afghan soldiers died while eight Pakistani paramilitary troops also sustained injuries.
Customs sources have said trade suspension is causing an estimated daily loss of $3 million in bilateral trade adding that over the first 20 days, approximately $60 million in trade was lost.
Torkham Border Crossing facilitates the daily movement of around 10,000 people to Afghanistan and is a key trade route between the two countries. Over 5,000 trucks, including those carrying perishable goods, are currently stranded, causing heavy financial losses.
Business
Uzbekistan investors show keen interest in mining and construction sectors
The Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade said last month that Uzbekistan and Afghanistan plan to increase the trade turnover to $3 billion.

Uzbek investors met last week with Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ahmadullah Zahid, and showed an interest in the construction and mining sectors in Afghanistan. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) said in a statement after the meeting that the Uzbek delegation had been assured that Afghanistan was secure and that there are vast investment opportunities in the construction and mining sectors.
Zahid reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting both domestic and foreign investors, ensuring a favorable business environment. He also said he hoped the investments would help boost Afghanistan’s economy and further strengthen economic relations between the two neighbouring nations. This comes after Uzbekistan opened a trade center in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif early this month.
The trade center provides Uzbek entrepreneurs with a platform to market their goods in Afghanistan.
Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan totalled $153.7 million in January 2025. This is 231 percent more against the same period last year ($46.3 million in January 2024).
The Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade said last month that Uzbekistan and Afghanistan plan to increase the trade turnover to $3 billion.
The latest development comes amid concerted efforts by both countries to boost their cross-border trade relations.
Business
Afghanistan records trade volume of $292 million via air corridors in 1403 solar year

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce says that in the solar year 1403 (April 2024 to March 2025), goods worth $292 million were transported through air corridors.
Abdulsalam Jawad Akhundzada, the ministry’s spokesman, said that the value of exports through air corridors this year totalled $125 million and imports $167 million.
He added that the main export items were dried fruits, saffron, dried and fresh figs, jujubes, pine nuts and handicrafts, and the main import items were medicines and electronic devices.
Akhundzada said that exports happened through Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif airports to the United States, Germany, China, India, Britain, South Africa, Austria, United Arab Emirates and some other countries.
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Afghanistan records trade volume of $292 million via air corridors in 1403 solar year