Landi Kotal’s Trade Collapses Following Torkham Border Shutdown

KHYBER – The extended closure of the Torkham border and the ensuing halt of trade with Afghanistan have inflicted a severe blow on commerce in Landi Kotal bazaar. Traders describe the current downturn as the most acute since last October.

The historic Landi Kotal Bazaar, known locally as Sarai, has left a sizable segment of the population without primary income sources because of the ongoing border shutdown.

Renowned for its traditional mutton karahi and seekh tikka, the bazaar once drew food enthusiasts from throughout the country, as well as shoppers seeking authentic imported goods from Afghanistan up until the mid‑1970s.

Nevertheless, the migration of traders to Bara in the late 1970s transformed Landi Kotal into a primarily local market, serving mainly residents, a few government workers and security personnel and their families stationed at the nearby British‑era army camp.

Historically, Landi Kotal’s commerce depended on trade with Afghanistan, and cross‑border pedestrian traffic was a key revenue stream for local vendors and shopkeepers, draper Yarmat Shah noted.

Yarmat Shah told Dawn that even after trade in imported goods moved to Bara in the late 1970s, Landi Kotal (Sarai) stayed bustling, attracting buyers from Afghan border towns seeking everyday commodities.

“Our livelihoods depended on the open Torkham crossing, one of the busiest borders, where bilateral trade peaked at $2.5 billion in 2015‑16. Local shopkeepers also profited from the thriving cross‑border activity,” he said.

Haji Sharab Gul, a wholesale trader of grains and flour, told Dawn that his sales have dropped by roughly 50 % since the border shut. Most of his customers cannot enter Pakistan because of visa restrictions, while locals have lost purchasing power after their income sources vanished.

With business almost at a standstill, the bazaar becomes a ghost town after midday. Traders now head home, seeing little point in lingering without customers.

He used to supply rice and pulses in bulk to Afghan buyers, who resold the goods onward to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and even Ukraine, generating substantial profits—revenue now completely gone because of the border closure.

Bilal Khan, who runs a general store, said his customer base has shrunk dramatically. Only a few locals now visit, purchasing essential items at lower prices and only when urgent.

He also lost a large amount of capital to merchants in Torkham who used to buy many items on credit. Those traders can no longer repay their debts because most of their shops remain shut after months of border closure.

Haji Akhtar and Haji Dadeen run restaurants known for delicious mutton dishes, especially barbeque and karahi, which were once in high demand.

Both reported that covering daily operating costs has become extremely hard as customer numbers have plummeted, affecting both locals and outsiders.

Mr. Akhtar said that in peak years he slaughtered 10–12 lambs daily, but now they cannot move even two or three sheep’s worth of meat. Customers have shifted to cheaper dishes, and mutton prices have soared to record highs because imports from Afghanistan are banned.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026

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