Afghan traders say Kandahari pomegranates have been coming to Pakistan through Torkham border uninterruptedly this year. PHOTO: EXPRESS/EHTESHAM KHAN
RAWALPINDI:
The prolonged, weeks-long suspension of commercial traffic at the Torkham Border, fuelled by mounting political tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, has unleashed severe financial turmoil for wholesale traders in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Dozens of major and mid-sized wholesalers in the twin cities have seen investments worth many tens of millions of rupees effectively wiped out. Several long-established traders, previously counted among the city’s most prosperous, report having been reduced from millionaire status to near-ruin.
Substantial advance payments had been made to Afghan suppliers for high-value consignments of fresh produce — particularly grapes and Kandahari pomegranates — vegetables and, crucially, dried fruits such as raisins and dried apricots.
Containers and articulated lorries loaded with these perishable and semi-perishable goods have been stranded for weeks on the Afghan side of the Torkham crossing. As the fresh produce — pomegranates, grapes, and vegetables — has now deteriorated beyond recovery, many trailers are reportedly being redirected back to Afghan markets.
Afghan traders have categorically refused to reimburse their Pakistani counterparts, insisting they bear no liability for spoilage caused solely by the prolonged border closure. They argue that the consignments were dispatched in full compliance with contractual obligations, asserting they have video evidence of the loading process and proof of paid transportation charges.
Wholesale market sources in Rawalpindi and Islamabad confirm individual losses from Rs40 million Rs100m, with one large trading consortium facing an estimated loss of Rs150m.
While Afghan exporters have signalled a willingness to renegotiate the price of dried-fruit consignments — offering a 15-20 per cent reduction — they have categorically refused any concession related to fresh produce, specifically grapes, Kandahari pomegranates and vegetables.
Ghulam Qadir Mir, President of the Anjuman Tajran Sabzi Mandi (Vegetable Market Traders Association), attributes the soaring price of grapes and pomegranates in the twin cities now retailing at Rs600 to Rs700 per kilogram, directly to the severed supply line from Afghanistan. The shortage has also pushed up the prices of domestic grapes.
Given the severity of the crisis, traders are urging the government of Pakistan to initiate immediate, formal engagement with the Afghan authorities.
Their most pressing demand is that the stranded containers and trailers — already paid for and awaiting entry — be granted a one-off, extraordinary clearance into Pakistan, even if all future orders are suspended.
Grape, pomegranate, and dried-fruit wholesalers Haji Shafqat and Muhammad Meharban Khan explained that bookings for Afghan produce are typically placed in advance of the season. Orders worth between Rs40m and Rs150m were placed in late August and September to ensure timely transport. However, political tensions and the subsequent border shutdown have resulted in catastrophic financial losses.
They note that although border closures have occurred in the past, consignments were usually released within a week to 10 days. Expecting a similar outcome this time, they proceeded with their seasonal orders — only to see their goods decay with the onset of winter.
Conversely, trucks transporting Pakistani goods to Afghanistan have also been stranded on the Pakistani side, inflicting reciprocal economic damage on traders across the border.
In an effort to survive, the hardest-hit wholesalers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been compelled to take out new, sizeable loans to resume modest, local trading in fruits and vegetables.
