By:Luqman Khan
Pakistan and Afghanistan have suffered significant economic and social consequences due to prolonged restrictions at key frontier crossings, particularly the Torkham border and Chaman in Balochistan. For several months, these international crossings have been either completely closed or severely restricted, disrupting economic activity, limiting the movement of people, and worsening living conditions for border communities whose livelihoods have long depended on cross-border interaction.
Historically, Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded essential commodities such as food, medicines, cement, and pharmaceuticals. Afghanistan, which relies heavily on imports to meet basic needs, has been especially affected by the suspension of this trade, resulting in shortages and disrupted supply chains. At the same time, Pakistani importers, exporters, and transporters have suffered significant losses amid rising costs, energy shortages, and shrinking markets. Once-thriving commercial hubs along the border are now grappling with poverty and economic stagnation.
However, the economic impact represents only one dimension of the crisis. The social consequences of these closures are even more alarming. For decades, Afghan patients have sought medical treatment in Pakistan for services unavailable in their own country. Due to years of conflict and chronic underinvestment in healthcare, Afghanistan continues to lack advanced medical facilities for serious illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney failure. Hospitals such as Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital trust and Shifa International Hospitals in Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, and Lahore have historically provided life-saving treatment to thousands of Afghan patients.
Recent tightening of visa policies has made access to this medical care increasingly difficult. Afghan patients now face prolonged waiting periods, complex application procedures, and substantially higher visa fees, costs that many families simply cannot afford. Even patients with valid medical documentation and hospital referrals frequently fail to secure visas in time, leading to treatment delays and, in some cases, preventable deaths. Beyond the moral implications, these restrictions undermine Pakistan’s longstanding reputation as a humanitarian refuge for Afghan citizens.
At the same time, Pakistan is managing the repatriation of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan. Due to inconsistent policies, insufficient border infrastructure, and administrative delays, Afghan Citizen Card holders and undocumented Afghans often encounter severe difficulties at Torkham and Chaman. Families, particularly women, children, and the elderly are frequently stranded for days in harsh conditions, enduring both emotional distress and financial hardship. What should be an orderly administrative process has increasingly evolved into a humanitarian crisis due to weak coordination and unclear procedures.
These developments coincide with one of the most severe economic crises Pakistan has faced in decades. Over the past three years, the country has struggled with sluggish economic growth, high inflation, declining exports, and acute fiscal pressures. In such circumstances, restricting trade with Afghanistan an immediate and natural trading partner, appears economically counterproductive. Cross-border trade not only generates foreign exchange but also supports employment in consumer goods, logistics, transportation, and related sectors, mainly in underdeveloped border regions.
Allowing delimited movement and trade does not compromise national security. Rather, it requires smarter, more effective border management. Pakistan can safeguard its security interests while facilitating essential trade, expediting medical visas, and ensuring the dignified movement of refugees. Transparent procedures, fast-track medical visa systems, and clearly defined trade protocols would go a long way toward rebuilding trust on both sides of the border.
Moreover, economic engagement can serve as a stabilizing force in the region. History shows that connectivity fosters cooperation and development, while isolation breeds instability. Despite the challenges, Pakistan and Afghanistan share deep social, cultural, and economic ties shaped by geography and history. Severing these links weakens both nations and pushes vulnerable populations further into hardship.
The recent closure of the Torkham Border has created a deeply concerning humanitarian situation. A large number of Afghan nationals are currently stranded at the border, while thousands more who have left Pakistan are now gathered around Landi Kotal, District Khyber. These individuals, including women, children and the elderly, are facing significant hardship.
Many of them do not have access to sufficient food, clean drinking water, or other basic necessities. Children are distressed and unsettled, and elderly individuals are visibly suffering, with many in emotional and physical discomfort. Having been displaced abruptly, these families are now living in uncertain and challenging conditions.
In addition, a large number of trucks and containers have been stranded near the border for several days, further complicating the situation and affecting the movement of essential goods.
This situation calls for urgent attention and coordinated humanitarian support.
Reopening the Torkham and Chaman borders for trade and humanitarian travel under strict but reasonable regulations would benefit both countries. It would ease healthcare access constraints, reduce shortages in Afghanistan, and revive economic activity in Pakistan’s border regions. At a time of economic fragility and regional uncertainty, cooperation, not isolation, offers a pragmatic and sustainable path forward.
Borders are meant to regulate movement, not to obstruct livelihoods or deny fundamental human needs. Restoring these crossings in a structured and humane manner could be a critical step toward mutual prosperity, regional stability, and long-term economic development for both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Luqman Khan is the
MS Scholar, Economic & Financial Analyst, Academic & Healthcare Researcher
