‘No More Trade, No More Medicines’: Afghanistan Cuts Ties With Pakistan Until Taliban Gets Security Assurances

New Delhi: Afghanistan has declared trade with neighboring Pakistan illegal, directing local businessmen to seek alternative trading routes via other regional partners. 

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghanistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, has directed Afghan businesspeople and traders to start doing business via avenues other than Pakistan right away.

He cautioned that the Islamic Emirate will not offer any support in the event of trade disruptions or losses if any trader continues to import or export goods through Pakistan in the future.

Mullah Baradar stated that Afghanistan must now lessen its reliance on Pakistan for commerce and improve ties through other regional channels at a meeting with Afghan traders, according to the private news agency Khorasan Diary.

According to the report, he insisted that Pakistan give concrete assurances that trade channels wouldn't be shut down for security or political reasons in the future.

Additionally, Mullah Baradar stated that commercial ties with Pakistan won't be reestablished until assurances are provided that routes won't be shut down in times of conflict or peace. 

In the meantime, all pharmaceutical products from Pakistan are completely prohibited from being imported by the Taliban regime, and after three months, purchasing and selling Pakistani medications in Afghanistan will be prohibited.