Nooruddin Azizi, acting Minister of Industry and Trade of the Taliban, said that for the first time, Afghanistan's exports to Pakistan have exceeded the country’s imports from its neighbour. No details have been provided about the export commodities from Afghanistan.
However, earlier reports of the massive export of Afghan coal to Pakistan and its sale "in Pakistani rupees instead of US dollars" had provoked protests among Afghanistan’s citizens.
Pakistani media reported in July that Pakistan has started importing Afghan coal. The hike in imports from Afghanistan to Pakistan during the 1st quarter of this year is also due to an increase in procurement of coal from Afghanistan by Pakistan, which has shown an increase of 484 percent during the first quarter of 2022-23, after the government of Pakistan allowed use of Afghan coal in power generation.
As per Pakistani media reports, in the month of September 2022, imports from Afghanistan to Pakistan have increased by 58% from $79.12 million to $125.36 million as compared to the month of September last year. Whereas in the 1st Quarter of FY 23, imports from Afghanistan have increased by 67% from $151.19 million to $252.82 million as compared to previous FY same period.
