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Author: Muhammad Abdur Rehman
Muhammad Abdur Rehman
Muhammad Abdur Rehman is an Assistant Research Associate at ISRRA and an MPhil IR scholar, specializing in policy analysis, regional integration and security.
Bilateral trade remains limited to $1.7 billion despite Pakistan’s dominant share in Afghan imports and the potential to exceed $5 billion under a full FTA. Current mechanisms—APTTA and the 2025 PTA—are too narrow, covering transit goods and just eight agricultural items, leaving high-value sectors untouched. Pakistan stands to gain the most from an FTA, with opportunities in cement, pharmaceuticals, textiles, IT services, electronics, and processed foods. A strategic FTA would formalize trade, curb smuggling, stabilize supply chains, and strengthen Pakistan’s long-term economic influence in Afghanistan. Pakistan and Afghanistan maintain one of South Asia’s most significant bilateral trade relationships, yet the…