Taliban Bans All Medicine Imports from Pakistan Effective Monday
The Taliban Ministry of Finance announced that a complete ban on medicine imports from Pakistan will take effect on Monday, 20 Dalu. The ministry urged traders to seek alternative routes instead of importing medicine from Pakistan.
Abdul Qayyum Nasir, spokesman for the Taliban Ministry of Finance, said in an interview with Radio Omid that in addition to medicine, the transfer of any goods via smuggling routes will also be halted. He warned that smugglers will be handed over to courts upon arrest and smuggled goods will be destroyed.
Earlier, on 1 Dalu, the Taliban Ministry of Finance had informed traders to conclude all transactions, documents, and commercial dealings with Pakistan within 19 days.
The decision comes amid political tensions and border clashes between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters, as well as the closure of transit routes. Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, had urged traders in Qaus to halt business with Pakistan and find alternative routes. Border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been closed since Miizan.
Over 70% of Afghanistan's medicine was previously imported from Pakistan. Following the halt in imports, some medicines have become scarce in Kabul and prices have risen, particularly vital drugs such as heart medications that were mainly imported from Pakistan. Drug sellers in Kabul have reported shortages and price increases.
A resident of Herat stated in a video sent to Afghanistan International that medicine prices in Afghanistan have reached "the value of a human's blood."
Last month, Taliban officials traveled to India, Iran, and Turkey seeking ways to address the medicine shortage in Afghanistan's market.
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