Afghanistan has banned the import of medicines from Pakistan, citing concerns over poor-quality drugs and escalating trade tensions between the two neighboring countries.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Finance has announced a three-month deadline for importers to end the purchase of medicines from Pakistan, citing growing concerns over the quality of imported drugs.
In a statement issued Thursday, the ministry said all pharmaceutical traders must complete transactions with Pakistan within three months and comply with the new regulations. During this period, medicines imported from Pakistan will remain subject to customs duties, but after the deadline, they will no longer be accepted for import.
The ministry added that the decision was made under the directive of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, following remarks by Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, who confirmed that medicine imports from Pakistan would soon be halted.
Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical market has long depended on supplies from Pakistan, but the ministry said the move aims to “prevent the entry of low-quality medicines” and ensure access to higher-quality drugs through alternative sources.
In response, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the trade cutoff would not significantly impact Pakistan’s economy, suggesting that his country’s exports to Afghanistan are not critical to its overall trade balance.
Meanwhile, in a related development, officials in Nangarhar province said several shipments of fruits and vegetables bound for Pakistan were turned back at the Torkham crossing.
The closures come amid heightened tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, as border crossings have remained partially closed for over a month, disrupting trade and transit between the two countries.
