The Ministry of Commerce has advised the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to allow all Afghan transit cargo to re-export to any seaport, on request by the exporters or their clearing/forwarding agents. The ministry said this in a letter to the FBR, allowing the re-export of all stranded Afghan transit trade cargo at the ports of Karachi, Gwadar and Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The commerce ministry in another letter also allowed the exemption from para-6(4) of the Import Policy Order (IPO) 2022, which calls for imports under APPTA 2010 to be allowed under Rules of the Agreement notified by the federal government. “The stranded Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) containers originating from Vietnam and Malaysia are allowed to be re-exported to any seaport as per the request of exporters or their clearing/forwarding agents. READ MORE: Afghan trade resilient in 2025 as Iran, Central Asia routes offset Pakistan closures “In view of the above, Federal Board of Revenue is requested to take further necessary action for the re-export of stranded ATT containers originating from Vietnam and Malaysia,” it added. The development comes days after the Ministry of Commerce joint secretary chaired an Inter-Ministerial Meeting with all relevant stakeholders to devise a strategy for the clearance of all stuck-up cargo at seaports and BCPs due to the closure of Pak-Afghan border since October 11, 2025. The meeting was attended by Directorate General of Transit Trade Karachi Director General Sanaullah Abro and Ministry of Commerce Joint Secretary (FT-II) Mrs. Maria Kazi and other stakeholders. The joint secretary (FT-II) had stated that the Ministry of Commerce had already issued letters for clearance of transit containers stranded at ports of Karachi, destined for Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Humanitarian cargo of UN agencies, ATT containers of Vietnam and Malaysia stranded at Karachi ports. However, the director general transit trade had informed that a large number of transit containers of various countries are still stranded at various BCPs and Karachi ports besides some bulk cargo at Gwadar port. She had further informed the meeting that the Ministry of Commerce was regularly receiving requests from foreign missions, exporters and their clearing agents for clearance of the stranded cargo. Therefore, a consistent policy was required for clearance of all the stranded cargo to avoid congestion at the ports and BCPs. The director general transit trade had appreciated the efforts of the ministry and stated that clear directions for clearance of the aforementioned transit cargo had been received but there was no clarity for the remaining cargo which was around 50% of the overall stranded cargo, which cannot be kept at the ports and BCPs for an indefinite period. He had further informed that the remaining ATT cargo was originated from various countries including China, UAE, Singapore, Turkiye as well as bulk DAP cargo from Australia at Gwadar port. A decision had to be made for this cargo as well to ease congestion at the ports. READ MORE: EDITORIAL: Pakistan remains Afghanistan’s most efficient trade corridor Keeping in view the concerns of security side, the forum had recommended to provide four options for the Central Asian Transit cargo stuck at BCPs. These options included, allowing crossing of containers through Taftan by changing manifest at Karachi, allowing crossing of containers through Khunjerab / Sost by changing manifest at Karachi, allowing air lift of the containers and re-export to any other seaport (as per specific requests). For the ATT cargo stranded at seaports and BCPs, the meeting had recommended the option of re-export to any other seaport as per request of exporters or their clearing agents. It had also said the Ministry of Commerce will approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/UN Agencies for allowing change in manifest of the UN Humanitarian cargo which will then be cleared from Karachi ports and will be stored in warehouse.