Pakistani media have reported that the closure of routes along the Hypothetical Durand Line has put Pakistan’s citrus exports, particularly kinnow, under serious pressure.
In a detailed report, the Pakistani daily Dawn stated that with the emergence of new challenges to exports, nearly half of the country’s citrus processing factories have been shut down.
The report notes that even if Iran’s overland routes are used as an alternative for exports, the volume of shipments to Central Asian countries and Russia cannot reach the levels of previous years.
Pakistani traders say that the high costs of maritime shipping and overland transportation have left them deeply discouraged, prompting them to consider relocating their investments to other countries.
Meanwhile, ordinary Pakistanis, who are currently facing economic hardship due to the policies of the country’s military regime, have repeatedly staged protests demanding the reopening of routes with Afghanistan. However, the routes remain closed due to the regime’s failure to provide guarantees to the Afghan government.