India to suffer $1.14b trade loss via Pakistan routes: PBF
ISLAMABAD: India is likely to face huge economic losses in the ongoing trade disruptions with Pakistan which may cost over $1.14 billion, according to an estimate by the Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) for trade losses incurred due to restrictions on using Pakistani soil for trade activities.
The PBF officials also disclosed that India exported goods worth nearly $500 million to Pakistan between April 2024 to January 2025, whereas the amount of goods that India imported to Pakistan was nearly $0.4 million. But much more losses are anticipated, as Indian goods to be shipped through Pakistan to Afghanistan are estimated to be worth US$ 640 million annually.
Bilateral relations have reached a boiling point and trade has been tightened resulting in the forum’s statement. At the same time, PBF officials pledged their full support for the government’s efforts to respond to India’s provocations and sought to unite the national front to respect Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Unity in Defence of National Interests
PBF President Khawaja Mehboob Ur Rehman also extended solidarity with Pakistan’s armed forces and stated that the business community is with the government in whatever it does to ensure the protection of the national interest. Rehman criticized the practice of India blaming Pakistan every few years.
Gone is their habit of remaining silent for few couple of years and then claiming as if everything is started from scratch. He added that the patience has been showing enough.
India’s actions were also strongly condemned by the senior leadership of the business forum. Following Pahalgam attack, Pakistan’s Senior Vice President Amna Munawwar Awan dismissed the claims made by India in relation to the attack as ‘absurd lies’, saying that the objective of this attack was to make people forget about the human rights violation in occupied Kashmir and about the imminent freedom of Kashmiris by the resistance movement.
Calls for Comprehensive Trade Solutions
Ahmed Jawad, the Chief Organiser also stressed that until the issues are resolved in a mutually respectful and equal manner trade relations between India and Pakistan should come to complete halt. India, he accused, was lowering economic integration of the region and foiling peace efforts in South Asia.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Business Forum also condemned the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, terming the latter as ‘ridiculous and detrimental’ to the stability of the region.
“Unity, resilience is the only way forward and Pakistan first,” Jawad stated.
Conclusion: A Unified Response to Challenges
Pakistan Business Forum’s statement on the national resolve and unity in defense of Pakistan’s economic and national interests is explicit as to the significance of collective approach in protecting economy and the country. Tensions continue, and the forum’s backing of the government’s position against India represents a moment of great importance for Pakistan to defend sovereignty and safeguard its economic interests.
