Peshawar (TDI): Pakistan has reopened the Angoor Adda border crossing with Afghanistan after nearly two years of closure, to revive trade, ease border congestion, and boost local businesses in the northwest.
The crossing sits in the Barmal Valley, connecting South Waziristan in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with Paktika province in Afghanistan.
It was sealed in 2023 amid heightened security concerns. With its reopening, authorities and businesspersons expect to relieve pressure on the Torkham border, which is the primary trade route between the two countries.
Officials believe that this move can significantly expand bilateral trade. While current trade is estimated at US$ 800–900 million annually, local stakeholders believe that with uninterrupted border operations, trade volumes can grow to US$ 3–4 billion.
Saif‑u‑Rehman, President of the South Waziristan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the newly built customs and immigration facilities, developed by Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation (NLC), are already creating jobs.
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He noted that about 50 local youths have been employed directly, and nearly 10,000 laborers are benefiting from the revived trade activity.
Rehman emphasized that regulating pedestrian crossings through proper visa and passport checks would help stabilize security and ensure orderly movement.
He added that Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan and Afghan exports of fresh and dried fruits could flow more freely through Angoor Adda.
Muqtasid Ahsan, Secretary General of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, described the reopening as a “ray of hope” for southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Punjab.
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He also called for integrating Angoor Adda into Pakistan’s export and transit trade policies to further attract regional and Central Asian trade.
Local residents and tribal elders welcomed the move as well. Many depend on border commerce for their everyday livelihoods and say the reopening offers a legal and more secure channel for movement and trade.
As of now, Kabul has not officially responded to the reopening. But inside Pakistan, the move is widely seen as a step toward more stable, structured, and mutually beneficial trade ties with Afghanistan.
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
